Don't break the chain
by Marystormshade
Summary: Evan, a girl born in darkness is given a chance at the light. She takes the chance. Break and Raven take an interest in her. Which will catch her eye? Involves shameless candy eating. Break/oc/Raven I own nothing.
1. Leaving Darkness

"All you need to do is call out my name and agree to a contract." The demonic monstrosity offered wistfully. Evan had been thrown into a strange realm of unending twisted visions and fragments of Childs play. She felt that it was necessary to escape, even if it meant becoming a subordinate. She looked into the red eyes of the chain, which had now taken on a much less threatening shape of a large capuchin monkey, but the hold of its gaze only seemed to increase. "If I agree, I won't allow you to eat humans." Evan said simply. The monkey scoffed, "Even if I wanted to I wouldn't, humans taste disgusting." Evan smiled grimly, before looking confused.

"I have yet to learn your name, chain." The monkey looked annoyed,  
>"Forgive me, such forgetfulness I have, my name, is Aamir." Aamir held out his hand in a 'come hither gesture'. Evan grasped his hand roughly before looking into his eyes defiantly. <em>"Aamir, I agree to a contract! Take me from this place!" <em>The form of the primate became shadowed and twisted it wrapped around Evans body in a protective manner before responding in an otherworldly whisper. _"The consequences of this agreement will be dire indeed. But I see you don't care. Back to the light I suppose? Glorious; oh how I've missed causing a bit of havoc."_ Aamir seemed to control her body as she was thrown out of consciousness into a calm enrapture of sleep, completely unaware of what her new friend was doing.


	2. Entering Light

"Coin's for a beggar? Please sir, just a pence or a halfpenny should cause me such great exuberance!" Xerxes Break walked past the hunched over figure without so much as a glance, he frequented these streets quite often when he was not with Sharon or Gilbert, they knew little of his exertions outside the manor, for he liked it that way. Emily sat atop his shoulder her frozen smile plastered next to his twisted handsome features. Xerxes stopped in front of his most delightful stop which he never ceased to buy from. A small house on the corner with no name, a woman named Julie was always in the kitchen making pastries and candied fruits for the market. He knocked and allowed himself in.

A woman of plump size with a kind face looked at Xerxes before breaking into a grin. "I see our most reliable customer has come for another package! I suppose you ate all the ones I gave you?"  
>Xerxes smiled before his expression turned sour and his lips pursed in a childish manner, "I'm afraid I won't be coming back for a while, we've had a new… guest arrive at the manor. So I'll need as much of your sweet candy as I can possibly afford." He then pulled out a leather bag attached to his waist by a leather thong.<p>

He would miss the little makeshift candy store he knew. But until Oz woke up from his arrival out of the abyss and he and Sharon had a grasp on things, he would have no time to going on frivolous shopping trips. Julie handed him a large bag containing more than a pound of hard candy. Xerxes raised his one eyebrow at her, obviously inspecting the overvalued weight. She winked at him, "A bit extra for being such a wonderful customer." He grinned before turning and leaving.

Not but 20 meters from the candy shop Xerxes felt something shake him, he shivered violently. _"Ooooooh an illegal contracto-r!"_ Emily hummed. Xerxes smiled evilly before tightening his grip on the bag of candy before setting off at a leisurely jog toward the source of the disturbance. His senses (and Emily) led him to an alley way that smelled of tar and human slime. Covering his nose with his sleeve he walked down the alley cautiously until he came across a bundle of clothing.

"Oh dear…" Xerxes sighed as he reached into the pile shifting through the clumps of shirts and trousers and some… oh good god, was that… no he would rather not consider it. Just as he felt something warm he pulled back in alarm as a huge capuchin monkey latched onto his arm and wouldn't let go. Xerxes threw his hand around frantically while Emily looked on with a non changing smile. _**"Aamir, I said no eating humans."**_

The monkey apparently known as Aamir released him immediately. The pile of clothing was breached as a body broke through it. A _female_ body at that, with green eyes, a sharp nose and plump delectably full lips. _"I apologize. I felt that he was threatening you, and I can't have that."_ The monkey dropped onto all fours and fell to the girls ankles. The girl looked around at her surroundings, "So… this is the light, it's been… so long." She whispered slowly. Xerxes remained impassive during this exchange, until he saw his chance, "Well miss, that was quite a show but-" she interrupted him,  
>"My name is Evan." Xerxes became agitated before his features relaxed. "Well miss Evan; you are obviously in possession of a chain. How powerful he is, I do not know. I must arrest you for being an illegal contractor." He made for her.<p>

She moved swiftly, as did the damned monkey, Evan had him in a headlock within seconds while Aamir had Emily. His precious Emily. "What is your name?" Evan asked him. Xerxes was silent. She increased her pressure on his neck. He gasped, "My name is Xerxes Break." She eased on his neck a bit.  
>"That's a nice name… I am not allowing my Chain to devour humans. So we won't have a problem will we?" Xerxes found himself suddenly intrigued, "Truly, your chain does not require human flesh?" It was Aamir who answered, <em>"No, I never will. It is a habit that other chains have taken up, a habit that I do not plan to grow accustomed to."<em> As if to further prove his point the monkey grimaced… at least that was how Xerxes described it.

Thinking quickly Xerxes devised a plan, "Since I am a proper gentleman and you are a very pretty young lady, I'll cut you a deal. I'll not tell the Pandora Company that you're an illegal contractor, I won't even mention it, and you come live with me and my associate, you'll be safe, you'll be fed daily, and the best part, you won't be the only illegal contractor… that is if Oz ever wakes…" Emily giggled.  
><em>"Why Xerxes that's such a generous offer~"<em> Evan gasped, releasing Xerxes entirely, finding his chance, he grasped her by the wrist tightly, she struggled. "Let go of me!" Xerxes grinned forcing his face closer to hers, "Sorry but if you don't accept the offer now, and then I will take you to the authorities." Aamir growled coming closer, "Ah, ah! I won't hurt her!" Aamir stopped, but still stared wearily at Xerxes.

"Well what do you say, miss Evan?" Xerxes face still uncomfortably close to hers. Evan looked up into his eyes before swallowing her pride. "Fine then. Take me to this associate of yours."


	3. Meeting of the Raven

Xerxes led Evan firmly but not harshly by the hand to his 'manor.' The 'manor' looked more like a rundown mansion more than anything else, with mildew covering the floor and vines twirling up the sides of pillars… Evan began to question Xerxes sanity. He led her to a chapel sort of building. Inside was a round tea table; flowers, pastries and teacups with a teapot sat on it. Xerxes released her wrist grabbing a tea cup and pouring tea into it seating himself on a fine upholstered seat. "The twittering of birds, sunlight shining in… myyy-! This certainly is the most idyllic setting for sipping tea, wouldn't you agree?" Evan was about to answer when a man and a girl entered the chapel. The girl shook her head annoyed, "You said that yesterday, just before Oz- sama escaped from the abyss." She looked at Evan, "Who is this Break? She feels like an illegal contractor." The man who wore a large black floppy hat and a black suit to match pulled out a gun and pointed it directly at her. Aamirs' reaction was instantaneous, he lodged himself between the gun and his subordinate, _"If you wish to keep your hand, I suggest you put that weapon away."_ Aamir growled. The man kept the gun pointed at her, "Break you better have an explanation for this!" Xerxes put his hand into his sleeve and pulled out a piece of candy, placing it on his tongue he began to chew it, between swallows he replied, "Sharon, Raven, stop this foolish argument, this is miss Evan, and she means us no harm… her Chain does not require human flesh, not only that but it can take on a very convincing form, wouldn't you agree?" He finished the candy off the rest of the way.

The man named Raven slowly lowered his gun. Sharon, the girl, walked towards Evan grasping her hand they stared into each other's eyes. "Break… you mean to say…" she trailed off. Xerxes came up from behind Evan and pulled her from Sharon's grasp, to the surprise of everyone, and held her fast. "Yes Sharon, she is one of the keys." Evan strained against Xerxes hold, but he only tightened his fingers digging them into her soft flesh, his cool touch caused her to shiver. Raven noticed and pulled her from Xerxes, "God Break, do you have to act like such a freak?" Raven demanded, Xerxes glared icily at him. "Quite the contrary, anyway let us go inside of the main manor. Shall we miss Evan?" He extended his hand for her to take, she was about to take his hand when Raven intercepted it. "I will escort her Xerxes." Xerxes stared at Raven for a moment before waving them off and placing another piece of candy in his mouth.

Raven pulled her roughly along until they were ahead of both Xerxes and Sharon before he turned her towards him and glared scathingly at her. "I don't trust you. Why did you sign the contract with that… that _thing_?" Raven said pointing a finger at Aamir who was currently on the ceiling beams which crisscrossed overhead. Aamir landed gracefully next to Evans feet before wrapping himself around her leg. He looked at Raven with a bemused expression. _"She signed the contract to escape from the darkness that was surrounding her."_ For the first time Raven seemed to show a bit of understanding. He looked at Evan, "By darkness you mean the abyss?" Evan remained silent, so Aamir answered for her, Aamir got a bored expression, _"You could call it the abyss… you could call it lonesomeness or you could even call it insanity. It truly depends on how you look at it." _Raven acknowledged the monkey with a nod before he turned to Evan. "How long were you in there for?" just as the question escaped his mouth the footsteps of Xerxes and Sharon joined them. "Yes, I have been wondering that for some time as well Miss Evan, ever since I found you in the street I could tell that it had been a _very~_ long time since you had seen the sun." Xerxes leaned in towards her with a curious expression on his face. Raven pulled him back, "You pervert." Xerxes was perplexed, "What? Me? I am merely worried for our dear Miss Evans well being." Sharon sighed, Raven snorted, and Emily giggled.

"Its fine, I think it was about 10 days… something like that." She trailed off uncertainly. There was a deep silence before Emily broke it with a giant hammer. _"Then you've been in the abyss for over 80 years at least!"_ Xerxes pulled her off of his shoulder and scolded her silently, but in good nature. Evan nodded slowly. "Yes, I knew it would be a big number like that… ever since my father, gods damn him to hell, opened that path that night… I knew there was no going back. I never agreed with him…" she stopped looking up at the faces that stared in at her. "What?" she asked. "Miss Evan… what is your maiden name?" Sharon asked gently. Evan answered immediately,

"Blantern."


	4. Family history

In retrospect, Evan had not expected what had come after she admitted her name. Sharon had gasped and covered her mouth. Raven seemed genuinely shocked, and Xerxes (damn him) seemed extremely contented with the turn of events. Then there was Emily, with that plastered smile she started to giggle like a madwoman before she was chastised by Xerxes.

"Evan I absolutely loathe to tell you this~" Xerxes began in a somewhat melancholy singsong voice. _"Liar." _Aamir stated from his perch, _"I can smell the excitement emitting off you. Disgusting creature."_ Evan glanced at Aamir wearily then she glared seething at Xerxes, "What is it you're not telling me?"

Xerxes Break had not been glared at with so much intensity as the glare that radiated from Evan; he dropped his smile for an instant. But only an instant.

"The Blantern bloodline ended 60 years ago." Raven broke in, clearly annoyed with the beating around the bush. Evan was silent before looking up at Break, "How?" Break replied with a philosophical voice, "When you disappeared through that portal, your father went insane-" Evan snorted; Break continued, "He then shortly after hung himself, you mother grief stricken turned to a lord who offered her his hand, she accepted. He ended up being nothing more than a sick widower, your mother was found dead not but three months after the marriage." He paused here examining her expression which had remained vacant this entire time. Surprisingly Aamir was doing the same. He continued, "Your brother Xavier I believe it was, he became the new head of the family, leading it directly into bankrupt after a few years. The neighboring Serfs were tired of the constant work with nothing coming back to them. They rioted and burned the Blantern castle while the residents were sleeping. So not only are you the last of your line but when you were still there you were the foundation which held your family together."

There was only a short pause before Evan chuckled darkly. "My family was always made up of idiots. My brother… my brother couldn't win at checkers let alone run a family," She sighed before continuing. "MY mother was indecisive and a worrier and my father… quite frankly I won't miss him. I won't miss any of them." Evan turned away from the group back towards the looming figure of the mansion, "Shall we continue on?"

Xerxes grinned, oh yes, he most definitely liked her.


	5. Memoir

The dreams came back, except they weren't dreams at all, they were memories of horrendous moments. Confessional memories her mother had called them.

"Confession is great, because if you did anything wrong you can just say it in confession and then forget about it. You don't have to carry it around with you like a bag of potatoes over your shoulder." Her mother had told her as she ushered her into the confessional stand.

Evangeline Hel Blantern is 7years old and knows the difference between right and wrong. At least that's what's expected of her. Evangeline hates her name, she makes all the servants call her Evan, but they hardly do. Chastising her they say 'the young maiden Blantern must learn to become a lady, the master would dislike it if you were to be called the same as a male counterpart. And anyhow your grandmother, the one you're named after that is, she was the pride and joy of the Blantern house, a proper lady she was. You should act more like the deceased mistress.' Evan always snorted at that. Her grandmother, she had never even met the woman and the moment she was born it had been decided that she would be an exact replica.

"Hail Mary full of grace. The Lord is with thee, blessed art though amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy wound Jesus… Now child what is your sin?" That dastardly figure behind the screen always asked. "I disobeyed my father… and I asked a question." The figure nodded.

"Yes something similar I believe to what you confessed to yesterday, what have thou done?"

"Well my father wanted me to go to the dungeons and punish a servant that had stolen from my quarters… but she didn't steal! I swear! I gave her the necklace, Victoria said it was pretty- Victoria's the servant… she was caught wearing it and father yelled at her. When I told him the truth he threw me in the cellar, and said I couldn't come out until I had learned better." She paused waiting for the figure to intrude as it almost always did. When it didn't reply but merely listened she continued.

"When I came out, he told me to whip Victoria. When I asked him why he told me that if I opened my mouth one more time then he would-he- he would…" She let a sob escape.  
>"Yes child do continue."<br>"He said he would tar and feather me. When I asked him what that was he threw me against the wall next to Victoria and he whipped us both."

The figure sighed, "Well clearly you were in the wrong. You are to obey your father and mother no matter what. Now I relieve you of your sins."

Another memory:

She was pushing clothes into an unused flour sack, some coins and a small pistol, round shot. "Where will you go?" Fretted Victoria.  
>Evan smiled, "Away from here, my father… no that bastard crossed the line this time. He has touched me for the last time." She smiled and looked at Victoria, "You could come with me." Victoria shook her head. "Oh no I couldn't, but mistress you are only 13… you can't possibly survive on your own."<p>

"I would rather die out there than stay under his roof any longer."  
>Servant and mistress embraced one last time before Evan dove out the window.<p>

Another:

Evan using the flour sack as a make shift blanket has woken up because of the dogs. She heard them a mile away. A year after running away from her home she had changed; met many people and had been opened up. She refused to let that man, (She would never think of him as father again) take her willingly. She ran.

She knew it was useless, she hadn't eaten in 4 days, her cheeks were gaunt and her skin pale. Her scraps of clothing were caught by branches and twigs. The dog's hot breath was on her ankles.  
>One of the beasts lunged and latched its slobbering teeth into her calf. She cried out falling. She clawed at the dogs face, pleading with her eyes to be allowed one last run of freedom. The dog only tightened its jaws.<p>

"_Good dog._" The man cooed. His voice, she hated it.  
>He kicked her, "We would find you eventually," Here he leaned down near her ear. "We need you to open a portal, we have a meeting with the Baskervilles, and they require a portal to the abyss. You have opened one before; you'll do it again."<p>

Evan bit her tongue, "How did you find me?" HE looked down at her, seemingly sympathetically before he tightened his fist and slugged her in the gut.

Evan flopped around helplessly, trying in vain to get an ounce of air into her lungs. He merely soothed the hound at his side.

"That maid… Victoria, yes, she can be very cooperative under stress." Evan struggled harder, "Oh yes, and once she gave us information, I indulged myself, I will admit. What can I say, with that taught body; who can resist?" Evan's mouth opened in an O shape. She couldn't muster enough air to scream.  
>"Oh yes, then we killed her."<p>

_Betrayed, dead, indulgence, air. I need air._

Evan reacted. She jumped at him from her position on the ground she knew it wouldn't affect him at all, he would merely have the dogs hurt her. She was right. "Come my daughter we have much work to do."

The final memory was the most vivid:

There she was in formal clothing, 10 years after being captured. She would do it tonight. People would think she had merely fallen into the portal at the ceremony, but no, she jumped. Some would grieve some would snicker, she didn't care. She was done.

"Evangeline, open it." The man said. She still refused to think of him as her father.

She moved mechanically, she had done it so many times; she could do the steps blindfolded. She had. She did the usual incantation, repeated the words, and drew the blood. There was the soft murmur of voices behind her. They were focused on the pit; they wouldn't notice her walking over to it, placing her foot in just the right place… then falling.

That was when the darkness consumed her.

"**Evan wake up!**" she was being shaken roughly. She disliked that. Wearily she opened her eyes to see Raven hovering over her his hands on either side of he body, he was staring deliberately at her. Xerxes was watching from the door. Evan blushed at his close proximity.

"What? Why have you woken me up?" Aamir replied nonchalantly,  
>"<em>You were crying in your sleep. Bad dream perhaps."<em>

Evan glared at them, "Thanks for the concern but I'm fine. Where's Sharon?" Raven blushed realizing the compromising position he had gotten into, but then he smiled releasing her, "Oz is awake… You should meet him, oh and his stupid chain the B-Rabbit." Aamir flinched.

"_Oh… how wonderful."_ Raven got up and left to go check on breakfast no doubt. Only Xerxes remained, he gazed coolly at her; Evan once again blushed realizing that she was only wearing a night shirt and her underwear. He smirked, "Miss Evan, Sharon has stock piled a great deal of clothing options for yourself. I shall escort you to breakfast when you are ready." He turned and closed the door, leaving her to think.

Sharon was obsessed with bright colors. It was nauseating. She finally decided on a pair of navy riding pants a brown blouse with a bit of a cleavage opening and some basic shoes that she could move in well. She excited only to be greeted by Break.

"I thought you were kidding." Evan stated.  
>"You look… Nice I suppose, now come miss Evan." Break reached for her hand pulling her along, grudgingly she followed. <p>


	6. Join the club

"I regret to say we must place you under arrest!" Oz and Evan choked on their food at the same time. Evan looked up at Break but his attention was focused entirely on Oz.  
>When Oz had successfully swallowed he then stated, "Huh?" Break hopped onto the middle of the table between Sharon and Oz but only inches from Evan. <em>He did that on purpose!<em>

"Oz, have you heard about an organization called 'Pandora'?" Break grabbed his fork and shoved a piece of cake onto it before stuffing it into his mouth, all this while Oz was answering; "I've just heard of the name… isn't it some kind of state controlled agency for maintaining public order?" Evan stared at Oz for a moment before linking her line of site on Break.

"Well, that's the official line. Its real purpose is to research the abyss and to handle any and all incidents related to it." He began munching on his cake again. "As you now know, the abyss isn't a prison as stated in legend. When a path opens, chains can emerge through it. And they search for contractors, such as you and Evan to stabilize their shaky existences." Evan heard a creaking in the background and turned her head to see Raven perched a bit off clearly brooding. She caught his eye and flashed him a sly smile, he returned it. This did not go unnoticed by Xerxes and he quickly continued to speak grabbing everyone's attention back. He continued. "Those who accept their offers are called illegal contractors."  
>"Illegal…?" Oz trailed off questioningly. Break giggled.<p>

"Yes! Ordinary citizens are forbidden from having anything to do with the abyss and from entering into contracts with chains. Because it's dangerous, okay?" Suddenly break slammed his slammed his fork into Oz's tea and began to stir it. Oz gaped in horror at it practically frozen with disbelief.

"Thus," Break continued as if what he had done was completely natural. He began to lick his fingers and Evan found her eyes drawn to them as he ran the digits along his lips, his tongue jutting out casually to lick off the icing. Evan swallowed aware of what she was thinking. "What ever your reason for the contract was, we simply cannot let you go!" Break pulled out a necklace shaped like a ninja star with rounded edges and a simple design in the middle. Break motioned toward Raven, and Sharon, "For, you see, we three work for Pandora!"

Evan remained silent processing this the only way she knew how, going over the major points, breaking them down and throwing horrible hypothesizes out the window, while Oz on the other hand… "Please, just a minute Break!" Oz said anxiously. Sharon got in between Xerxes and Oz, "Oz entered into the contract to escape from the abyss, and our objective is his…" Evans attention was grasped by how Oz was suddenly hunched over and how his hand groped the fruit knife and how he seemed to reach for… oh shit.

Suddenly Evan was in a headlock, "Oz…?" Evan said quietly.  
>"Evan!" Raven called out.<br>"Don't move." Oz said. Xerxes throughout this was quiet until now.  
>"I expected you might appear if your bodily vessel was in danger. I am most honored to make your acquaintance… B-Rabbit." Here he made a theatrical show of his hands. "Pandora has had numerous difficulties dealing with you, so I wanted to chat with you just once myself."<br>Oz was clearly confused, or perhaps we should say b-Rabbit? "What?" He stated.  
>"Now that you finally have your dear contractor, I would so love to know… what you plan to do in our world." He had moved his hand up towards his chin in a sly gesture. "I don't need to tell you! Get out of my way."<p>

Break giggled and shrugged, "That I just cannot do! Letting a dangerous chain like you roam free…? Really!" Oz in reply brought the knife closer against my skin.  
>"Don't you care what happens to this girl?" The B-Rabbit demanded.<br>Evan growled, "Break, regardless of what happens to me, kick this rabbit's ass for me."

Break grinned lecherously at her and she found herself sucked into the smile, "Oh, dear! That could be arranged." Break pulled a sword as large as a staff, Oz's dark eyes winded and he stared in shock as Xerxes slammed the sword into the ground. A wind picked up, causing a circular torrent to form around Evan and Oz, a design appeared on the floor, them in the middle. Oz and Evan cringed in pain falling to the floor; Raven ran forward and grasped Evan pulling her to safety near Break not once letting her from his grasp. Break twirled his weapon around, "It pays to be prepared!"

He then raised it above his head, "It was worthwhile to have the restraining formation ready in advance." Evan shook free of Ravens hold and went over towards Break. As all three watched a girl seemed to tear herself from Oz almost appearing to erupt out of him. She landed with a plop behind Oz, who was left grasping his chest.

"Alice!" Oz exclaimed.  
>"Well, well… what have we here? Quite the lovely young lady!" Break sang. Evan glared at him, why she didn't know.<br>The girl, who Evan supposed was the B-rabbit, wiped her mouth exhaling as she did so.

"Records state that you are a rabbit of massive proportions…did you adopt that form to conserve energy." Break rested his sword on his shoulder glancing sidelong at her, "its okay, you know? You can release your power here." Suddenly he started laughing. "But… you couldn't release your power even if you wanted to, could you?" The girl gasped.

"What… are you talking about?" Oz gasped through the pain that clearly overcame him.  
>Break continued, "The power of the B-rabbit was a little too much for your body. When you came out of the abyss your body began to be overwhelmed by the rabbits raging powers. If we had done nothing you would have died, so we had him stop the flow of its power." He pointed at Raven who glanced up hands in his pockets. "Oz, this girl with whom you entered into a contract is a tad different from other chains, you see? She has her own personality… much like Aamir mind you, and she can even take on a human form. If I gave her to the researchers, they'd be so happy!"<p>

The girl leaned forward her eyes squinting, "You think I'll follow your orders do you!" Break suddenly pushed the dull end of his sword against the girl causing her to fall back. "I'm the one asking the questions remember?" Evan stared at Xerxes in appraisal and fear, his face had become sadistic. "Now why don't you be a good little girl and share with us your reason for being here?"  
>"Alice!" Oz cried struggling to get up. The girl, whose name was apparently Alice, grit her teeth, "I came here in search of my memories which have been scattered all over this world!" Oz and Break suddenly looked confused, "Memories?" they both muttered.<br>"From the first time I woke up in the abyss, I knew that my name was Alice and that I didn't know anything else because my memories weren't there with me." Evan noticed that Alice was grasping a knife that had fallen on the ground, she began to move in, "That's why I escaped from the abyss, in order to retrieve my lost memories!"

Evan was impressed at how well Break countered her attack, replacing her blow with a blow of her own. Break stopped halfway though when Oz lodged himself between Alice and Break, leaving everyone in a silent succession of stunned stares.

"If you hurt Alice anymore…" Oz said after a pause,  
>"Oz…" Alice said, clearly shocked that he had saved her.<br>"I won't cooperate with you guys."

"What are you talking about?" Break asked still not removing the sword from its current location.  
>"That doll said… 'We couldn't do a thing.' And Sharon was about to say I had something to do with your objective. Why did you bring me to this mansion instead of to Pandora's headquarters? Isn't it because you don't want them to know I'm back. You didn't just happen to find me! You were planning to get me out of the abyss from the start, am I right?" Raven, Sharon and Evan stared at him… they clearly needed to give credit where it was due. "But Alice is the one who rescued me. And if you're looking to hurt the one who saved my life, it's the same as being my enemy!"<p>

Break was silent his mouth turned into a frown. "No… your enemy, hmm? That will make things rather difficult. Sheesh! Oz got all mad because Emily was kidding around." Xerxes then began to scold the doll. By now the sword had evaporated into thin air. "Stop shifting the blame, Break!" Sharon fumed.  
>Evan chuckled, leaned back on the table next to Raven shaking her head. Aamir crawled over to the pair and hopped on Evan's shoulders. <em>"Quite entertaining."<em>

"Ah-ha-ha! I suppose I overdid it just a bit too much! So let me make some tea as an apology. And I'll tell you all about our motives. He then turned towards Evan and Raven, he glanced at their close proximity and frowned before he sighed, "I thought I would have the upper hand if I threatened him… but he's smarter than he looks." Break brushed past Raven who seemed to be sinking farther and farther into sulk world. "He's exactly as you reported!"

The ground began to shake.

"Break… a path's opening up!" Raven yelled, pushing Evan behind him.  
>"Impossible! Here?" Everyone looked for the source of the opening; the cause they soon found was a pocket watch that had been on Oz's person. "It's Oz's watch." Xerxes stated.<br>"A chain is about to emerge!" Raven cried.

Such monstrosities were saved only for those who wanted to get their hands dirty in the work of fate it seemed.

"What perfect timing! Release her power." Evan and Raven stared at Break. "I want to see how strong she really is. With my own eyes." Alice glared at him.

"Fine by me, you clowny bastard!"  
>"Geez! Whatever happens don't you come crying to me about it later!" Raven yelled releasing Evan he grabbed Oz, a blinding light surrounding him.<p>

"The power that was blocked before has started flowing again!" Alice cried fanatically.

"**You are an eyesore!" **The girl's shape was now quite large, huge even, with an even larger scythe and her fur was pitch black. The B-rabbit was here.

"Oh! She will make for quite a formidable asset." Break laughed. Oz, clutching his chest reached for his watch. Everyone started.

"So? What do you plan on doing with us?" Alice demanded her legs crossed in a rather mob boss position. Oz was looking like a blubbery buffoon. "I'm no match for you as I am now. But if my powers keep getting released, Oz's body won't be able to handle it." Here Alice scoffed, "You hold our lives in your hand, now then… state your demands!" Xerxes was looking like a child waiting for praise from a teacher. Evan leaned into the couch along with Alice and Aamir. Xerxes grinned, "Oh, is that so Then allow me to be blunt, yes?" he slammed his sword which was now a cane onto the ground in front of him. "I would like you 4 to work for Pandora as part of my staff."

Instantaneously all four of the jumped at this, even Aamir showed a bit of a reaction.

"You see, we're currently in the process of searching for members of the Baskerville race as part of one of our missions."  
>"Baskerville?" Oz questioned.<br>"Yes, the ones who tossed you into the abyss! Oz kun we tried to get you out of the abyss… because we wanted to know what exactly you are to the Baskervilles." Break looked thoughtful while Evan looked extremely uncomfortable. "If you're with us you'll be safe even if they reappear. Besides you don't want to get your family caught up in all this again, right?" Oz clutched a pillow to his chest.  
>"Break…" Raven warned. He continued undeterred, "And Alice this is just a hunch but… didn't that path appear because your memory was here? If your memories exist where paths open up, Pandora's information should be most useful to you. And I'm curious about your memories too!"<p>

"Why are you hunting the Baskervilles?" Alice questioned. Break glanced at Evan, "Our desires are one and the same. That is all I can say for now. Oh and Evan, as I recall you want to completely eliminate, no, obliterate the Baskervilles didn't you?" Evan stood up glaring at him, "You know quite clearly what I want." She then sat down gruffly.

"I say! Isn't it just wonderful? A relationship where we can exploit- no, cooperate with each other!" suddenly he looked out the window. "Oh my! Day break already?" Evan, Alice, Oz, and Aamir jumped off the couch bursting through the patio doors. "What are you four doing?" Raven cried. "I wonder why, this makes me feel incredibly nostalgic…" Oz said aloud. "Ha-ha this is weird, even though I was in the abyss for such a short time…" He was cut off when Raven slammed his hat on Oz's head. Evan trailed over to where Break was, she leaned on the wall next to him staring out at the city, sighing in contentment.

"I want to find the rest of my memories as quickly as possible. If they do let me do that… I'm fine staying with these guys." Alice said. Evan nodded, "These people called Pandora can help me with… something. I'll stay."

"Oh, I see. Then I guess I'll help you guys with that. Even though there are lots of things I don't understand, if my answer lies there. I want to know… I want to know what it is the Baskervilles call my sin."

Everyone stared at eachother making a silent pact subordinate to subordinate, contractor to contract and one another. Aamir clambered up onto the rooftop calling down to them he cooed, _"In another moment down went Alice after it, never once considering how in the world she was to get out again."_


	7. Approach

"Master. Won't you buy a flower?" The girl asked Oz, she had a dirty dress and a kind looking face. Oz reached his hand out towards the flowers taking them to inhale.  
>"Thank you master! Does master live in this town?" The girl inquired.<br>"Naw, I don't. I came to look for someone, but my companions got lost, so… Papa went looking for them!" Ravens steps had halted only a few feet from Oz, he glared death at Oz, "Who's Papa?" Evan giggled while Alice looked completely embarrassed. "Ah! Evan, Alice, I'm so glad he found you!" Oz exclaimed. "Geez, such trouble makers…" Here Raven glanced sidelong at Evan, she stared at the ground.

"Well I'll be off then…" The girl who had brought the flowers began,  
>"Ah! Hey, wait!" Oz cried.<br>In the blink of an extremely slow eye Oz had placed the flowers behind the girls ear, "If I take these with me, they'll wither right away. But if you wear them, they'll keep blooming in my heart, along with your image, see?" The girl had shrunken to a mortally embarrassed child. Raven sighed, "What host did you steal those lines from?"

As the girl left Raven growled, "Man… we ended up wasting precious time, all because Alice and Evan got lost." Evan was about to protest before Alice interrupted her. "What are you saying! You guys left me! You're the ones at fault!" Evan stepped away before she became the newfound center of attention. "Why you..." Raven yelled. Evan reached for Aamir, he gradually crawled up her back till he was wrapped around her neck, and she rubbed him absentmindedly. Vaguely she could hear Alice call Raven seaweed head, and Raven in return call her a hick, Oz then stated how embarrassing it was for him to be here with them. Finally Evan had decided that this arguing should stop. "Hey… we didn't come here for a picnic!"

_**Later at the mansion:**_

"To the mansion where your coming of-age ceremony was held?" Break questioned looking up from his book. Oz opened up his pal in which he held the watch, "Since I found this Watch there, I thought we might be able to figure out something about Alice's memories there to." Evan glanced at Oz, searching his face, she smirked. Oh how Alice had him around her finger. Suddenly Oz looked innocent. "Can we go…?"

Break looked up from his book, stared at Evan, and then sighed. "OF course you can." OZ was clearly dumbfounded. "Now then. Why ever are you so surprised?" Break asked poking Oz.  
>"Well, you told me to 'work for Pandora', so I thought you'd take me to them." At this Oz rubbed the spot where Break had poked him. Break looked at me, "I would really love to… but we would need to make considerable arrangements beforehand… Don't worry! I'll give you lot plenty of work to do!" Break laughed manically. Evan fumed, "Idiot that's not what we meant!" Xerxes flowed over to her, placing an arm around her shoulders. "An illegal contractor has been committing many murders in the town listed in that document." Xerxes suddenly released her grabbing some sort of jar and holding it out in front of him ridiculously, Oz immediately went for it.<p>

"Do forgive me for asking, but please stop there en route and arrest the criminal!" Break cried giddily,  
>"Why do we have to take a detour!" A Girls voice demanded.<p>

"Alice?" Evan questioned.  
>Alice was crouched behind a chair glaring at the three of them. Aamir followed lazily after her; casually he played with his Capuchin tail. <em>"We felt it necessary to know our contractors plans… I admit I played devil's advocate."<em> Evan glared.

"I want to look for my lost memories!" Alice stated angrily.  
>"Yes I'm well aware of that, so…" He had begun walking toward her.<br>"**Get away from me, you clown!**" Alice screamed at him.  
>"Evan, do you think the young lady hates me?" Break asked childishly. Oz answered for her.<br>"Silly. She's just trying to cover up her embarrassment."  
>"Why you… OZ!" Alice snapped.<p>

Sharon offered Raven some tea.

"Ah-ha-ha! But well… we might find your memories there, right?" Sharon said casually, finally entering the conversation. "What…?" Alice said confusion lacing her words.

Oz continued for Sharon, "The memory in my watch opened a path to the abyss. And the chain that emerged devoured it. So we can't ignore the possibility that your memories might be in places where chains can exist. Right?" Oz was smiling widely, while Alice was looking cornered. Break then began intricate little circles around Raven and Evan. "I say~! Though his appearance says otherwise Oz possesses significant powers of comprehension!"  
><em>"Unlike the stupid rabbit!"<em> Emily called. Aamir burst into a fit of chuckles rocking back and forth in such a way that would put any other homosapien child to shame. "Now, now! You mustn't go blurting out the truth like that, Emily!" Oz was having some difficulty holding Alice back. She finally calmed down.  
>"Hmph…well, whatever. I've got a big heart! So I'll help out with that mission. Just make sure you don't get in my way, you ignorant humans!"<p>

"Big words for someone who can't even fight by herself." Raven stated in the background. Evan couldn't help but agree.

"Shut up!" Alice screamed.

"Hmmm-! There seems to be a growing rapport… but…" Xerxes then grabbed Evan and Oz by the shoulders and pulled them back. "It would be better if you didn't trust her too much. The young lady is not you 'ally'… and she's probably still hiding something. Surely you were told as much when you were little. 'Those who lie or keep secrets from you-" Evan pivoted away from Xerxes and walked over towards raven and Alice, but no matter how far she walked away, it seemed as if she were still standing there listening to them talk. "Yeah. There's a good example of that right in front of me. Break and Sharon are hiding more things from me than Alice or Evan are. 'You shouldn't trust people like that too easily.'" Oz smiled, while break seemed a bit surprised.

Evan could see Breaks cruel smirk appear on his face, lecherously he looked over at her, then grimly said, "Exactly, that approach will do just fine."


	8. Jolt to reality

Evan awoke with a jolt. She found herself in the carriage that Break had wove them off in, the one headed into town. She yawned and attempted to stretch, when she noticed something quite peculiar indeed. It seemed that she had been sleeping against Raven, and he had placed his black jacket around her, he was looking out the window so Evan allowed herself to blush a scarlet crimson before trying and failing to scoot away from him. Raven whirled.

He smiled gently, "I see you're awake." Evan stared at the floor trying her best not to blush harder, and then she noticed that Aamir was curled up himself on Oz's lap who was support Alice's sleeping figure.  
>"Thanks' for uh… letting me use you as a pillow I suppose." Evan replied, Raven nodded, "It's not as if I didn't enjoy it." He then turned back towards the window, "Would you mind giving me my jacket back?" Evan shook her head, "No I think I'll keep it." She grinned, Raven grunted, "Fine, but when we stop for the night I want it back."<br>"Deal."

Soon Alice, Oz and Aamir woke up, and then not long after they arrived at a pit stop for the night. Once inside and settled Alice seemed annoyed. "Hey. Weren't we going to look for the contractor?" Alice asked sharply. Raven without even looking up replied, "It's late. We'll start working tomorrow."

"WHAT THE HELL!" Alice demanded. "I want get to the mansion as fast as possible!" Raven didn't even look at her. Evan jumped on the bed opposite Oz, Raven shortly sat down on the end of the same bed.

"Hey Raven?" Oz question from his lounging spot. "Why do illegal contractors try to kill people?" Raven and Evans head shot up. "Well… I mean what advantage do they get by entering into a contract with chains? Even Alice wanted my consent, so it's not like they force themselves on you."  
>Raven pulled his cigarette from his lips, seeming to ponder for a moment. Alice crawled onto the bed next to oz and leaned against a pillow asleep almost instantly.<p>

"'You can change the past.' That's how chains approach people." Oz looked up, Evan gripped Aamirs' fur. She hadn't wanted to change her past, she had wanted to gain strength from it, and she had.

"I don't know whether that's really possible." Raven continued, his golden eyes peering at Oz, every so often glancing at Evan. "But in order to obtain that power, contractors make their chains devour people… many, many times, until the incuse on their chests completes one turn."

Evan sat up, "Incuse?" her and Oz questioned.  
>"It appears on the chests of illegal contractors, you each have one." Oz groped at his chest which was currently bandaged, Aamir grasped Evans arms, but she pushed him off and discreetly peered into her shirt. Most certainly as if tattooed onto her skin rested the 'incuse'.<br>"As time passes, the hand moves and inscribes more marks. And…when the hand returns to its original position…" Raven trailed off.  
>"What happens?" Oz asked. Raven didn't answer. Suddenly Alice stirred. "Alice?" No answer.<br>"Ha! She fell asleep?" Oz giggled giddily, Raven scoffed, "She looks perfectly human like that."  
>"Yeah your right… anyway, I'm going to go ask around for information."<br>"Huh? But you said we'd investigate tomorrow…"  
>"You 4 start tomorrow." Raven clarified. "I was waiting for her to fall asleep because I figured she'd insist on coming with me."<br>"But Raven…"  
>"You want to get to the mansion as fast as possible don't you?" Raven placed his hat on his head and turned to leave before Evan grasped his sleeve. She looked into his golden eyes, "What you didn't count on was that I would insist on coming with you."<p>

….

"Remind me why you 2 are coming with me, and Evan why wouldn't you bring Aamir?" the towns streets were deserted and they were walking along the street at a jolly gaunt. Evan replied, "I had Aamir keep an eye on Alice, she may be the infamous B rabbit, but she could cause quite a ruckus if not kept in check." Raven nodded, then looked at Oz, "I came cause it looked kind of fun."  
>"Shouldn't you be with Alice?" Raven asked.<br>"Well that's why Evan left Aamir, plus I locked the door and left a note; '_Raven needs a long~ potty break, so me and Evan are going with him!'"_ Evan laughed.  
>"I'm going to kill you…" Raven threatened. Oz started to laugh. "What is it? You being creepy."<p>

"Well," Oz sang, "I think Raven's actually a pretty good guy, looks aside of course." Evan couldn't help but disagree with that, the way Raven's black hair remained messy, the way his eyes showed his every emotion, the sharpness of his nose, and of course his thin lips… but they weren't anything like break's eye, how it seemed to undress you with just a glance. His hair which fell perfectly to each side and his long nose, not to mention his extremely attractive lips… wait what?

"What did you say?" Raven demanded, Evan was dragged rudely back to the current situation.  
>"You were worrying about Alice even though you keep complaining." Oz explained.<br>"That was…"

"Its okay, it's okay! Don't be embarrassed!"  
>Evan could vaguely hear Raven say, something along the lines of little brat underneath his breath. Suddenly his eyes softened, he pushed his hat down his head. "How, can you be so calm? You keep getting caught up in all these inexplicable things. Your body now harbors the powers of an alien chain… How can you laugh as if nothing's happened?" Evan looked at her foot, that was an exceedingly good question. Oz laughed, "Guess you could say I'm good at adapting. I want enjoy the present instead of grieving over the past. I chose to be here with you guys…" He inclined his head toward Raven and Evan, and then continued; "And I'd like to find out just what it is being caught up in. and besides… I'm curious about what exactly Alice is too." Raven stopped and stared at Oz. Evan continued walking with Oz.<p>

"Once… I let something important slip by, without trying to find the truth, 'cause I was scared of getting hurt. So when I see Alice trying her best to look for her lost memories, it brings me back to the past… and it kind of makes me want to not leave her alone… And I find her Dazzling." Evan smiled, Alice had quite the boy.

Raven tipped his hat forward, "Isn't that why you're trying to learn the truth now?" Oz stopped pivoted and looked at him; Evan at this point had stopped to. "You regret having once feared it right? That's why you said… '_I want to know what the Baskervilles call my sin!'_" Raven began to take off his hat, Oz smiled putting a finger to his chin, "Well, that's 'because I'll cause more trouble for everyone if I don't…"

"Regardless, you're trying to discover the truth now." With Raven's hat off his hair blew a bit in the wind, his eyes completely softened he looked at Oz; Evan gasped quietly fully taking him in.  
>"you've changed <strong>since then<strong>." Raven smiled gently. Oz looked at him strangely… "Are you…?" He was cut off when a large boom came from the direction of our inn, everyone started. "What was that?" Raven yelled. "Our inn is over that way!" Oz panicked.

Evan was distracted from the on-slaughter of panic, but regardless she followed Raven and Oz, but in the back of her head she could hear someone talking in the back of her head. It sounded suspiciously like Break and Sharon. _"This… You intentionally neglected to give them this photo with the incuse, hm?" Sharon questioned scathingly calm. Evan could hear Break's smile, "I thought Raven would be too worried about Oz to accept the Job if I did. Now then, game over is fast approaching for the contractor. I wonder if they've found Alice yet?"_ Evan felt a jolt as the connection broke and she could no longer hear them, 'Who' she questioned. Suddenly someone shouted "Oz!" Alice had found them, and Aamir was on all fours sprinting to Evan.

"Alice, I'm so glad you're okay" Alice pushed him out of the way and Aamir grappled Evan to the ground. And just in time may I simply add, for a monstrosity lamed into the place where they were standing, you could say it was a centipede… then again you could call a child the future queen of England… who are you kidding?

"Whoa!" Oz yelped. Suddenly his eyes widened and he stared at the apparent contractor who was hiding in the shadow of the Chain. When Evan saw her she stalled as well. It was the girl with the flowers, she had only gotten a glimpse of her, but she still remembered. She was covered in blood and her eyes were empty, but the most prominent thing about her was her incuse. Turned one notch from full.

"You're…?" Oz exclaimed in shock. "But why!" Oz screamed running toward her, "Wait Oz! Raven cried grasping him. Raven stared in shock at her. "She's… already…"

A sudden pounding hit Evan's head; the presence was there again, she could practically feel herself in the room with Break and Sharon. _"This is… my way of being nice. The sooner they face reality, the better." _The connection broke again. She glanced at Aamir; the look he gave her stated plainly that he had heard it to.

Suddenly the incuse turned fully. The flower girl pointed her head to the sky and screeched; her mouth wide she pointed her hand towards the sky, the cry deepened as if she were in a horrible pain. Raven grasped Evan's hand and pulled her to him, embracing both her and Oz, as if to shield them from the spectacle, she pulled away. She had to know. Abruptly the screaming stopped, and so did the girl. She had seized to exist banishing into thin air along with her chain. "What… the heck is going on?" Alice asked.

The pounding, the goddamn pounding. The connection had to be made at this time? Evan practically screamed with frustration.

"_Oz and Evan; you've got three alternatives. First. If time continues to pass the darkness of the incuse will also devour you. Second. If you keep looking for the truth… there may be a way to save yourself. And third. If you find the answer to that question, perhaps I…" Evan could see Break's head meeting the window with a smile. Remember this, that which ultimately remains… may not be hope!"_


	9. Testosterone boys

"The darkness which sucked in the brat that time… that came out of the abyss didn't it?" Alice asked leaning into the cushions of the carriage. "Yes. When the hand of the incuse goes around once, the contractor is dropped into the lowest level of the abyss." Raven turned his head from Oz and Evan, "That is, how illegal contractors meet their end." Oz looked at the window sill, seeming to be distracted. "Oz's hand hasn't moved yet. But when the time comes, he too will…" Alice clutched a pillow and threw it at Raven, "SHIT!" Alice had missed and hit Aamir instead, _"Stupid rabbit."_

"First off, why didn't you tell us about it until now?" Alice demanded.  
>"Because I thought you would be confused if I told you everything at once." Here Raven looked at Evan who was currently soothing the distraught Aamir. "I was going to tell you later, okay?" He whispered. Evan nodded; all she could do now was sit and watch.<p>

"Isn't there a way to get rid of the incuse?" Alice asked worriedly. Raven seemed to ponder his answer for a moment. "The fastest way would be… to sever the link between the contractor and the chain, I'd say." Raven glared at Alice, "So you just need to die." Alice's hair stood on end it seemed, "I think not!" she yelled. Aamir clutched onto Evan. "Then you need to find a way to nullify the contract. In any case, we need to separate you and Oz and Evan if possible, we should separate you and Aamir." Aamir's grip on Evan tightened, Alice grabbed another pillow and aimed at Raven, "You fool! You can't…" Alice threw the pillow and it hit Raven Square in the face. "Do that!" She cried.

Evan scooted away from Rave as the pillow slid down his face. His features had been taken over by a dark anger. _"Oh, this should be entertaining."_ Aamir muttered a smile in his voice. Raven reached into his jacket and pulled out his pistol, "You stupid rabbit!" He surprised Evan by actually pulling the trigger. "Then forget about the incuse and focus on finding your memories!" he yelled angrily. Alice had dodged the bullet and was crouched near the entrance hole. "Don't boss me around when you're just a slave to that clown!" There was a short silence where they glared death at one another, before they turned to Oz, "Oz! You say something too!" Oz glanced at them confused.

Oz twirled something in his hand completely unfazed by the fight that had just broken out. "Well, there's no use rushing things, so why don't you continue looking for you memories?" It became extremely apparent that Alice didn't like being disagreed with. She kicked the door of the carriage open and held Oz out the door. "OWW! I'm going to fall! I'm going to fall Alice!" He screamed. "What I mean is, Break said we should focus on finding your memories… so we can leave the incuse problem for them to deal with." Oz said agreeably. Alice glared at Oz, and then turned towards Raven, "Raven?" She questioned. He sighed. "Well, something like that." Raven stated.

"If that's how it is, then spit it out at the get-go, you scumbag!" Alice yelled at him.  
>"Were my words to difficult for the stupid rabbit? I do apologize." Raven replied in an exceedingly snobby voice. Evan chortled. "Shut up Evan." Alice said. "Oh calm down Alice, it was pretty funny."Evan smiled at Raven, who smiled back. Alice rolled her eyes.<p>

"Hey Raven… An illegal contractor kills people to change the past, right? So then… what kind of past was a little girl like her trying to change so desperately, I wonder?" Oz asked smiling darkly. Raven turned his head to the side before replying. "Can't say I know…" Oz looked sadly at the ground, while Evan lounged comfortably cuddling Aamir who in turn tried but failed to climb out of her grasp. The carriage hit a bump, and then halted to a stop.

Oz stared in wonder at the scene before him, could this truly be the mansion that he had grown up in? The walls were cracked and vines grew up the windows. Evan sighed in content. "The Vessalius mansion. It's been quite some time… the last time I was here I wasn't necessarily welcome." Evan smiled. "It's in good condition since I was here last." Oz stared at her funnily, "When were you hear I don't remember you." Evan was about to reply when Raven called over, "Oz! Evan!" they both looked up and noticed that he was standing next to a man wearing a dark uniform, neither could see him very well. "Raven…" Oz said. "Sorry, I was talking with him." Raven gestured at the man behind him, who was currently bowing. "Who is he?" Evan questioned. "A Pandora official." Raven stated offhandedly. "Pandora has been managing the mansion since the incident." Oz stared wide eyed at him. "Eh…" Oz muttered.

"It seems like something's happened inside. I'll go check it out so you 4 wait here." He pivoted. "Ah… yeah, all right!" Oz said giving him a thumbs up. "You were…groaning a little in your sleep." Raven mumbled at Oz. Oz leaned in, "Eh?"

There was a light resonating sound of glove on skin, Raven had slapped Oz. Evan stared wide eyed. "Don't think about it too much. No one could've done anything for that flower girl. Not I… nor you." Raven turned and left, leaving Oz and Evan staring off after him. Oz rubbed the spot where Raven had hit him. "Somehow… he sure seems a lot like Gil…" Oz said thoughtfully.

"Gil… the black-haired brat?" Alice mumbled from her spot on the cushions. "Ah sorry did I wake you?" Oz asked. Alice didn't reply as she rubbed her eyes. "So Gil's…" Oz smiled, "Yup, he was at the party…"

"The brat you cut down?" Alice continued. Evan looked up, her eyes met Aamir's then she turned to Oz and Alice. Oz was staring at Alice speechless, and then he smiled. "Yeah. That's him. It would be nice if Gil were here. Since you guys are so alike, he might've been a good person for you to talk to Alice, you to Evan." Both Evan and Alice looked at him questioningly. "See, Gil… Doesn't have any memories from when he was little. Alice rose up groggily. "Huh? Sure brings me back."

"Guess it's already been about five years… since uncle brought him to us?" Oz said thoughtfully.  
>"I remember I was reading with my sister. And then that day, out of the blue we found him collapsed in the garden of our manor. I was told he was to be my new Valet. He could hardly remember anything besides his name."<p>

_Gilbert, the boy clung to Uncle Oscar as if scared of something. Oz stood up with a bam, "So you're… going to become my Valet huh?" Gilbert flinched. "Yes…"  
>"So you'll do whatever I say right?<br>"Yes."  
>"If you don't, I'll punish you!"<br>"Yes…"  
>"Oh and… will you eat my vegetables for me? I hate them!"<br>"…Yes…" Uncle Oscar watched bemused._

_Oz grabbed a paper and pen, scribbling words and phrases that he thought fit the occasion. "All right! Done! The contract is signed. Uncle Oscar is the witness!" a maid approached Uncle Oscar and whispered something in his ear. "You've formally become my Valet! And that means-!" He was cut off mid way through his rant when Uncle Oscar called, "Sorry Oz! Some urgent business has come up. I'll leave Gilbert to you." Gilbert widened his eyes and mouth simultaneously, "W-wait!" He called, he ran on the carpet's edge riding it up into a hill there as tripping over it head first. He landed with a thud next to a shelf that held books and vases. The thud caused a vase near the edge to teeter and fall off. "GILBERT!" Uncle Oscar cried. The vase landed with a crumbling thud on top of Oz, who had lain against Gilbert to protect him from the blow. "Owww!" Oz whined. Gilbert clutched his fists. Oz sat up rubbing his head. "Ah… no… you must not protect someone like me… because! __**It is my duty to protect my 'master'!**__" Oz looked at him strangely, before he whacked him on the head. "What's this master you're talking about? I was going to say it before, but… you're my Valet now. And that means… from now on, I'll protect you no matter what! Cause that's the lord's duty!" Oz reached his hand toward Gilbert. "I'm Oz Vessalius. Nice to meet you, Gilbert!"_

"After that, every day was loads of fun. He's a sissy, and a cry baby… but he's a really nice guy. And he was always there for me. To me he's more important than anyone else… he's my precious best friend!" Oz said finishing his story and grinning. Alice looked at him. "I have no idea… what you're talking about." Alice said. "Eh?" Oz asked. "I'm saying you're talking nonsense. Friends or whatever is just a bunch of weaklings flocking together. I… don't need such things."

"Alice?" Oz asked shuddering.  
>Suddenly Evan, Oz and Alice all shuddered together. They started out the carriage. "This presence… are <em>they <em>nearby?" a shot rang out.

"Just now… was that gun fire?" Evan asked. Oz straightened, "Let's go Alice!" He said and began to run. "Come along Aamir… it seems something's going to happen." Suddenly Evan tripped, before getting back up. That pounding had returned. _"Ah-ha-ha… how cruel!" a cockish voice rang out. "Even though they were your colleagues… You've become a pretty merciless grown up haven't you?" _Evan ran faster along the grass. _"Oh I'm happy all right…" _Raven's voice replied. Evan started to sprint, that meant that it was happening now. It had to be. _"I've been waiting for this moment for so long." Raven shot at the other person. Raven growled, he had missed. "Aaah, I get it. You're still upset about what I did that day!" _

Oz, Alice, Aamir and Evan rushed up the steps toward the French doors gasping for breath. _"You still can't forgive me… for using your body to hurt your young master at his coming-of-age ceremony can you!" _Oz stopped at the door knob, completely frozen in terror. Evan felt sympathy for him, but it was washed away quickly. He had to find out how long in reality he had been in the abyss. It had struck her pretty hard to. _"Even though it's been ten years since Oz disappeared into the abyss!" another shot._

Alice kicked open the door, her eyes hard, Oz stared into the room. Raven turned towards them, he stared at Evan and Oz, "You fools! Don't come here!" He screamed.

"The guest of honor has finally arrived!"

Raven seemed to be pulled rigidly apart, his arms and legs not under his own control. Above him appeared a giant girl bound in chain's with strings appearing from her back entangling Raven. "R-" Alice got in front of him, "Stay back, Oz!"

Evan looked around spying the last person, no not person, the last thing she would ever want to see in her life. The Man draped in the cloak. "Allow me to introduce you. This child is my chain… Duldum. Darling Duldum has this terribly useful ability to bind and manipulate with its strings. You see today, I've come to celebrate… because I heard you'd emerged from the abyss after ten whole years!" Oz seemed to panic; he grabbed his chin, his back bending under the weight of this new news.

The man draped in the cloak, looked at Evan, and frowned. Evan smiled in return. "Why hello there! It's been so long. What, 80 years at least!"  
>"You will not get in the way this time." He growled at Evan. "You thought your little stunt 80 years ago saved you? Well guess what, it didn't, you jumped into the abyss willingly and you still live. I swear if you get in the way I will strike you down." Evan grinned. "I beg to differ." She grabbed Oz and steadied him. "I stand by those who are friends. You are not my friend."<p>

The man draped in the cloak smiled, "Now… shall I begin the special performance? The stars of the show are this boy here… Oz Vessalius and one other, his one and only Valet, Gilbert Nightray in the flesh!"


	10. Own worst enemy

"_Well, see…the peace and quiet of daily life… is something that's meant to be broken out of the blue, right? So regardless of what happens… or who betrays me… I accept that reality… that's all."  
>Gilbert seemed surprised at his answer. Then he understood and looked at the floor. "Yes, that much is true. One can never know what the future holds… but young master…" Gilbert made his way to the chair where Oz sat and gripped the arm rest. "I will be with you no matter what tomorrow may bring. I know the darkness in your heart. And you… know the weaknesses in mine… we are linked by our shadows, not by our light. No matter how much time passes or even if our situations change…" Gilbert placed his hand on his heart and went to the floor on one knee. "I wish to remain your valet always."<em>

"_I don't believe in absolutes like always." Oz replied looking at him darkly. Gilbert smiled shyly. "Of that, I am well aware. However, would it not be acceptable for there to exist at least one 'absolute'? I will never betray you. I will not let anyone hurt you. Because you are… my… master…"_

"Gil…?" Oz whispered. "That… Gilbert?" Oz asked stupidly. He stared eyes wide at Raven, no sorry, Gilbert.

The man draped in a cloak grasped Gilbert's hair tightly. Gilbert cringed. "It's quite a shock, isn't it? Here you are, back from the abyss only to find that ten years have passed! The abyss is a dimension where time is out of order. Even if you manage to escape… there's no guarantee you'll make it back to your time. Just look at Miss Blantern to your left, she was in that pit for eighty years. Poor thing. But don't you worry! That's why I came to get you. I'm going to do you the favor of dropping you into the abyss again!" Oz started to shiver uncontrollably but he didn't move from his standing position. "Aamir." Evan whispered. _"Hmm? What is it? I was enjoying the chaos…" _  
>"When there's an opening bite that bastard in the dress."<br>_"I can do that."_ Aamir crawled away.

"Now there's a good boy, Gilbert." The man cloaked pulled Gilbert to his chest cradling his head dastardly. Evan fumed on the inside. "Give young master a good working over… so it's easier for me to take him away… oh and kill Evangeline."

"This is not good, Oz…" Alice said. "If Raven's being manipulated… I can't use my power!" She cried out. Gilbert stood up, pulled his gun out. His bangs covered his eyes and when he looked up he smiled sickly. Gilbert leaped up at hit Evan with the blunt side of his gun. She stumbled back and fell. He then aimed for Oz, hitting him on the side of the face.

"Oz!" Alice cried, before rather suddenly she was being held down by a dead Pandora operative. "Come now don't interfere, B-Rabbit. I'm sorry things have to be this way after you've finally gotten a body and all… truly I am! But there really is no other option, you see? Young master Oz here and of course Miss Evangeline are the keys to obtaining 'the intention of the abyss."

"For us Baskervilles, their existence poses a grave theat. And so! Into the abyss they must go!" Suddenly the man in the cloak let out a yelp of pain. Aamir had successfully sunken his teeth into his thigh. He grasped his leg, the man tore at him, crying bloody murder as he did so, and finally he kicked Aamir into the stair case repeatedly. "Damn monkey." He said. He was preparing for another kick when he stopped, for Aamir wasn't moving. "That was easy." He turned back to the spectacle at hand. Gilbert had slammed Oz to the ground, his hand wrapped around his neck. "Let me give you a taste… of the pain that… that I suffered!" Gilbert said laughing maniacally. Oz cringed as Gilberts grip tightened.

"Just-! LET GO!" he cried tearing at Gilbert's chest. He stopped when he saw the scar. It was clearly visible against the creamy milky texture of Gilbert's skin. "What's wrong?" the manipulated Gilbert asked. "Doesn't it take you back?"

"This… scar…" Oz released Gilbert's chest. His eyes suddenly turned blank. "Yeah. You really are Gil, aren't you…?" Gilbert drew his gun and pointed it at Oz's shoulder. Oz's expression was completely unreadable. "Do you resent me? It was my fault… after all… that you nearly died." Gilbert's eyes widened and his resolve seemed to break slightly. Oz raised his arm. "I… so wanted to believe in your 'absolute.' But that'll become a 'lie; because of me. If I have to bear witness to that instant…" suddenly he grasped Gilbert's gun and brought it towards his own face. Gilbert stared in awed shock.

"…I think I'd rather just die here." Strangely enough, Oz was smiling. A chord struck, Gilbert could feel his heart beat.

_I… will never betray you.  
>BADUM. Another heart beat.<br>It is my duty to protect my master!  
>Badum. Another. <em>

"**I don't want to lose him again!" **

Everyone stared in awe, even Evan who had finally stopped coughing up blood. Gilbert was breathing hard. And Oz, Oz was still smiling. For Gilbert had turned the gun on the man draped with a cloak. And he hadn't missed.

The man staggered. "It can't be… you tore off… Duldum's strings?" Gilbert aimed his gun and pulled the trigger again, the man clucked his tongue and jumped out of the way. He hung from the window, "Ha-ha… I hate to say it, but… it's time for the curtain to fall on this scene! I haven't the slightest interest I a script that's gone awry… Look forward to the next act… Oz Vessalius, and Evangeline Blantern." He fled through the window. Oz plopped on the ground. Evan ran up the steps to where Aamir lay curled in a ball, she picked him up and gently hummed to him. He soon began to stir. "So Aamir how was it your first taste of human?" she teased. Aamir replied coolly, _"It tasted quite like the food in the abyss, completely tasteless."_

"I can't sense him at all anymore… he really is gone." Alice said annoyed.  
>"Is that so?" Oz said exhausted. "Ah! Alice, you're all right? You're not hurt?" Oz fretted.<p>

"What were you thinking?" Gilbert demanded. Oz turned to him. He was leaning on the French doors toward the exit. "Do you really… have that much of a death wish?" He cried.

Oz smiled, and blew air on his bangs to push them out of the way. "No way. Of course not!" Oz replied.  
>"Then why? If I…! If I hadn't been able to stop myself-!" he was cut off by Oz, "I knew you would." Oz smiled and looked at his friend, "If you truly are Gil, then… you absolutely would." Gil looked taken back.<p>

"I'm no longer… the Gilbert you once knew…" Oz looked at him strangely. Gil slumped against the wall clinging to his arm. "My name is… Gilbert Nightray. Of the Nightray's antagonists to the house of Vessalius! The Gilbert you see before you now… is a member of that Nightray dukedom! So don't treat me like you used to... I don't deserve it!"He rushed through the doors, fleeing somewhere but here.

Oz seemed hurt, and then he sighed, and hung his head. "Nightray… not again." Alice looked at him. She reached her hand toward him. "Hey…"  
>"Wait forget that… WHAT YOU JUST SAID DOESN'T EXPLAIN ANYTHING!" Oz yelled chasing after Gil. Alice pulled her hand back towards her. Evan sighed, picked Aamir up in her hands and looked at Alice smiling. "Don't worry I'll go make sure they don't get killed. I can see you need a moment." Evan turned and left, following Oz and a languid pace.<p>

Once out of earshot of Evan looked at Aamir. "I'm glad we chose to stay with them." She said after a moment. "_Oh and why is that?"_  
>Evan grinned and looked ahead of her, "Because things just keep getting more and more entertaining."<p> 


	11. Bait

Evan had found them, but refused to state her presence yet. They needed a moment, but she wasn't so proud as to not listen in. she peered through the entrance to the wide berth of space they sat in. A huge tree sat in the middle with a gravestone resting in front of it. Oz was walking toward the gravestone his hands behind his back.

"…But to me it doesn't seem like you've Lost anything that makes you who you are." Gilbert looked at him confused. "You were the one with me when I woke up… and you've taken care of me time and time again since. And just now… you didn't turn your 'absolute' into a lie, did you?" Oz stopped and turned toward Gilbert. Evan could see the smile that naturally rested on Oz's lips and his exceedingly contentedness with the situation.  
>"So tell me. What is it exactly that's different about you?" Gilbert raised his wounded arm to his mouth.<p>

"_No matter how much time passes… or if our situations change-_… I still… have faith in what you said back then. So what if you're a member of some dukedom? Let me say this." He turned from Gilbert. "Don't assume that because you're now an aristocrat…" Oz turned in profile and grinned tyrannically at Gilbert, "Don't think I'm going to release you from my service." Evan suppressed a giggle. Aamir fondled with a stray leaf. Gilbert began to chortle.

"You're still a Tyrant!" he sighed and held his head like an old friend should. "I… betrayed Vessalius, you do realize?" Gilbert stood up stepping toward Oz.  
>"It's no problem. As long as it's still what you want!" Oz grinned happily. Gilbert looked at Oz, before bending his head and landing on one knee, bowing to Oz. "I still want to be your Valet!"<p>

Oz smiled sadly. "Long time no see… Gilbert." Evan grinned, perhaps she could intrude now.

"Knock, Knock." She stated lamely, appearing in the entrance way. Gilbert swirled, he looked at her bewildered, while Oz smiled. "Hey Evan! Are you and Aamir alright?" He questioned skipping up to her, she nodded. Aamir was still curled up in her arms. "Oh yes we're fine, Raven there gave me quite the headache though." Gilbert started, "I-I'm sorry I didn't-"  
>"I was kidding. Anyway, Oz should probably get back to Alice." Oz seemed thoughtful, "I wonder if she'll be mad at me for leaving her. Oh well, I better go check on her." with that he sprinted off to tend to his chain. Evan shook her head, "I swear that kid's bi-polar." She muttered. "Well, I better go with him, bye Raven!" she waved at him, before he stopped her.<p>

Raven grabbed her arm, "Are you sure you're alright?" He asked seriously leaning in near her.  
>"I should be asking you that… I see you fixed your arm." He nodded.<br>"Wait, why would you care so much about whether or not I'm alright?" Evan questioned.  
>Raven released her, "Break would be pissed off if you were hurt. No reason other than that."<p>

Evan waved him off, "I better make sure Oz doesn't get lost, or that Alice doesn't kill him."

… ….

"So… you haven't asked Raven about the details yet, I take it?" Alice questioned. The four of them were walking on the path to the tomb. "Nope. Alice, Evan, you two don't know much about This world, right? So I figured you'd understand a bit more if we listened together."  
>"Well… that's true…" Alice muttered.<br>"But that's just one reason. Truth is… I also wanted to sort things out in my head first." Evan glanced at Oz who was currently playing with Raven's guns and hat. "Hey Oz, where did you get those?"  
>"Oh he left them in the church… I'm glad I was able to escape from the abyss." He began.<br>"And I've even got Gil back beside me again. But… there are still lots of things that don't feel real yet…" He laughed and stuffed one of the pistols in his back pocket. Alice stared off to the side.

"Ah Gil!" Oz called. "Well? How 'bout it? Did you find any clues?" he asked tossing Raven his hat.  
>"No… I wish we could at least find out whose grave it is…" he mumbled putting his hat on.<br>"You hear Gil, Al-" Alice was staring at the trees still.  
>"Alice…?"<p>

"Such weak voices… I didn't even notice them at first… little by little they began dwelling in these trees and petals… and have been waiting for me!" The ground around them began to glow fluorescently. Evan grabbed Alive by the hand tightly.

"_I'm Home…!"_ a voice called off in the distance. Evan whirled at the same time as everyone else, the scene had change, the colors more vibrant, and details they hadn't seen before stood out. They stared in awe.  
>"This is…!" Oz began. "No way… is this Alice's memory?" suddenly a girl, an exact replica of Alice ran past Oz exclaiming; <em>"I've found you at last!"<em> the girl ran forward to the entrance of the tomb where a man stood waiting. Evan strained to see him against the light.

"_What a naughty girl. Did you follow me here?"_ the man questioned. Oz gasped gently, and started to walk toward him. Suddenly the man turned and looked at them, _"Take care… the intention of the abyss has been watching you all along, you see?"_ The church clock struck twelve reverberating off the walls and into their ears. The floor began to break apart, "What the heck's going on!" Oz called.

"Oz, Evan!" Raven yelled yanking them both away. The man seemed startled to hear his voice. _"Oh, it's you… make sure you protect him… properly this time, all right? Oh and keep the girl safe as well."_ Raven stared transfixed before a shatter caught everyone's attention. Raven's grip tightened on both Evan and Oz.

"What's this intention of the abyss thing-" Raven glared forward where a light glowed. "I don't know much about it either… but it's supposedly the being that created the abyss as we know it today…" Aamir latched onto Evan's leg.

"And it's both what Pandora and the Baskervilles desire!" as they came closer they saw that Alice was locked in a chair with a floating rabbit doll above her head. Evan was vaguely aware that it reminded her disturbingly of Emily. She shook the thought off.

"Uh… it's a rabbit?" Evan asked. "No, it's probably just a make-shift form…" Raven said releasing her from his death grip.  
>"<em>Aah… I've met you at last. I've been waiting for you, for a long, long, long, long, long, long, long time… okay? So please hurry and come get me quickly?" <em>the rabbit doll asked sweetly_. "I have many dolls ready for you I do! Let's play with them, shall we? We'll talk until we get sleepy… and… and… okay?" _the doll got close to Oz's face. "_So please my beloved."_ Oz cried out and slapped the doll away in a fury. "I don't know you. But more importantly, will you let Alice go?"

The doll tipped its head like a puppy would, _"Why do you care about that girl? She is a chain… and she intends to kill you like all her other contractors. You know?" _suddenly the doll's mouth twisted into a gruesome grin and its eyes became darkened pits_. "So why? Why? Why, why, why, why, why,-" _Raven sprinted toward them, "Oz!" he called. Suddenly a wave of air whacked him so hard that he whirled back against the wall. _"Quiet! Don't come between me and him."_ "Gil!"

Evan ran towards Raven, he was unconscious that much was clear, all she could do was cradle his head and check him for wounds. God if she ever got the chance she would burn that doll. And apparently Oz felt the same way, because he looked at the doll with such malice as it continued on. _"Say… you don't know a thing about that girl… so why do you stay by her side."_ Oz seemed to pause at this. He looked forward at the chair where Alice was currently sitting. _"Yes… she's merely a brat who doesn't even know who she is or why she was born. She doesn't deserve you."_ Evan noticed that Oz clenched his fist tightly.  
><em>"Yet she managed to take you away from me. A doll like her… should never have been born!"<em>

Oz grabbed at his mouth and held it there as if holding something back. _"Okay then? Throw that girl away-" _Oz beganlaughing hysterically, he went as far as to hug himself. "Yup… you're right." Oz stated. Evan looked up just as Raven began to stir. She looked to her lap, "Welcome to the land of the living…" He didn't reply and began to rub his head in annoyance.

"I don't know anything about Alice. But you see… I have to stay with Alice." Oz finished calmly. The doll hovered agitatedly. _"Why! Why must you-"_ the doll was cut off again when Oz reached for its head and interrupted it. "I don't have any reasons why, you see? I'm only following the conviction that's inside me!" He smiled darkly. Alice jolted up.

"Besides… I'm sorry, but I don't think we'll get along." The bang that followed was louder than any previous. It shot straight and true through the doll. "Thanks for the invitation…" Oz said holding up Raven's pistol. "But these days I'm more into "treasure hunting"… than playing with dolls."

The doll screamed at them all; its head spinning violently, and as it screamed the earth broke apart. "Alice!" Oz called reaching for her, "Evan!" Raven yelled grasping her ankle just before she tumbled down.

The sky was a brilliant blue Evan observed before she fluttered her eyes closed, but that certainly wasn't the end. Her head began to pound. _You… you will regret this. You will come to rue the day that you chose the B-rabbit over me!_

"_Ha-ha! Well! So this is how it is, hmm?" Break asked from his vantage point. Evan could hear someone she had never heard before in the corner of the room, and could vaguely see Sharon sipping tea. "I truly did not think the intention of the abyss would intervene so quickly, but… as things are proceeding according to plan for the moment… shall we return to Pandora?"_


	12. Lock and key

Evan pulled at her hair, her fingers brushing against fabric. Evan fluttered her eyelids open and looked up. The ceiling was littered with little cracks but it was well built. She looked for the door and saw a clown. "Break…" She started. "Ah! I see you're awake! In case you're wondering you're at Ravens house, he brought you here while you were sleeping." Suddenly Break ran over to her side and threw off the covers. "Come now, I'm about to wake Alice, and I think I hear Oz stirring." He gripped her wrist and leaned in close. "You have the most beautiful eyes."

Evan jumped away, crying out, "You freak!" Break looked hurt, "I was just giving you a compliment!"  
>Evan threw a pillow at him, "If you don't get out I'll send Aamir after you!" Break raised his hands in defeat smirking lecherously, "Fine." He turned and strolled out the door into what Evan guessed was the sitting room. Evan ran to a pier glass and stared at her reflection. Her face was redder than a tomato and her green eyes shone through her tiredness. She ran to the bathroom and preened over her hair, getting rid of the grime as best she could; she then washed her face and went out to greet the others. Aamir followed groggily.<p>

Oz was just waking up from his spot on the couch and Raven was shifting through some papers. Raven looked up as Evan entered and smiled, "I see Break woke you up." He then frowned, "I hope it wasn't too traumatic." Evan scoffed. Raven turned to Oz, "Does it hurt anywhere?"  
>"eh? I'm fine…" Oz replied sleepily. Raven sighed, "Is that right?" Evan waltzed over towards him and attempted to read over his shoulder, but he grunted and pulled them away. "We… were in Alice's memory, weren't we?" Oz asked as he threw his legs over the side of the couch. He looked about his surroundings. "This is…"<br>"My place." Raven stated. "So Break was telling the truth?" Evan muttered.  
>"What?" Oz yelped.<p>

Raven walked over to the window and pushed it open, "I moved us while you guys slept the day away. We're in Reveil, the capital." Oz lunged to the window and peeked out. "But that said, this is the edge of the edge of it." Raven muttered before he turned and leaned against the wall in anger. "Break set us up. He used you guys as bait to lure out the enemy!"

"_My! Nice going there, Raven!" Xerxes exited the carriage calling out to him. "Thanks to you, I was able to confirm all kinds of things! Feel free to leave the rest to us and await further orders at home, 'Kay?" Raven carried Oz and Alice in one arm and Evan in the other, holding Aamir by the arm dangling. "How could you do this Break!" Raven demanded angrily. "Letting the Baskervilles attack them! What were you going to do if something happened to them?" He yelled. _

_Xerxes puckered his lips and put his hands near his mouth, turning toward the carriage where Sharon was beginning to exit. Break held out his hand to support her. "Your concerns are unfounded… Raven. I had every intention of intervening in case of such an emergency." Raven looked confused, "What-!"  
>"I was watching… everything, very carefully. From your shadow you see?" Sharon looked at him eyes shining brilliantly." Raven stopped. "For example what was it now… 'I still want to be your Valet!'" Raven practically dropped his passengers. <em>

"_Haaah… I knew that's how Oz would find out!" Break cried happily. "Indeed, and after we kept quiet because Raven was so adamant about us not saying a word too…" Sharon shook her head._

Raven leaned against the wall in frustration, Oz started flustering about him, Evan looked at the show enfold in front of her as she looked for a snack. Raven flicked Oz. "Are you alright?" He asked, "You seemed a little… odd back there." Oz rubbed his head and frowned, "I'm all right… It's just that white rabbit, it… Was creepy, and it scared me."

"**What the hell do you think you're doing, you clowny bastard!"** Alice screeched. Oz looked happy to hear her while Raven just seemed horrified, Evan didn't stop her hunt for a snack for a moment.

"My, my, you're so cruel! When here I am taking the trouble to come and see how you four are doing!" Break sang. Alice darted out of her room and hid behind a chair. "Then just enter the room like a normal person!" Alice cried from her hiding spot. Break hopped over to where Oz was standing, "Hey there Oz! I was a touch worried 'cause you didn't wake up right away, you know?" Oz fidgeted "Ah… right. Thanks."

Break waved his hand at Raven. "Raven. The great Break has deigned to pay you a visit. Now hurry up with those refreshments."  
>"HUH! What are you say-" Raven started agitated as he had just started to clean up the mess in Alice's room. Suddenly Break gripped Emily around the neck in an evil choke hold, "Okay…?" Break said smiling evilly. Raven was at the coffee grinder instantly. Evan chuckled and went next to him, "Here I'll help." Raven grunted, "You don't need to."<br>Evan sighed, "Yes but I want to." She began to get out cups when Break called over, "Miss Evan, you really don't need to help him. Why not come and listen." Evan looked up at Break who was smiling pleasantly. "That's fine, I can still hear you from over here, and anyway I'll just help Raven." For the briefest of seconds she thought she saw Break glare daggers at Ravens back, but when he turned back he saw still smiling at her.

"Well then, Oz come and have a seat." Break called patting the cushion next to him. "Eh? What, why?" Oz asked surprised. Break pulled out a container from his pocket and licked his lips, "You want to know, don't you? Why Lady Sharon and I, haven't aged?" Oz seemed surprised while Evan turned her head in order to see what they were doing. "Children are the easiest to read!" Break laughed. He threw his feet up, crossing them and resting them upon the table. He leaned back and popped the lid off the container and brought it near his head. "It's simple really. It's because we're contractors." Alice poked out of her spot. "Ah… but ours are not illegal contracts, you see?" Oz walked over to the couch and plopped next to him.

"We used a method that was developed by Pandora so… neither of us possesses an incuse like you and Evan." Break pulled a piece of candy out of the container and handed it to Oz, "Want one? But occasionally… the power stops a contractor's body from aging, as in our cases." Oz accepted the candy, "Does that mean you're immortal?" Oz asked stupidly. Evan looked up from her work and watched. "Ha-ha! Don't be silly! It only means that our bodies are being made to carry that great of a burden. Though our appearances may not change, we'll eventually wear down." Break tossed a piece of candy in the air. "I can't speak for Lady Sharon, but… I won't last another year." He caught the candy between his teeth. Oz stared at him.

"Oh… that was music to my ears." Alice said grinning. Evan had the overwhelming urge to slap her. "Well! I can't say I'm going to give it up so easily though!" Break said biting into the candy. He peered at the table, licking his finger. "There are still many things I must do." His eyes locked with Evan's, she held his gaze until she began to feel a blush creep up, then she broke off, turning back to the cups.

Oz had unrolled his candy. "By that, do you mean… obtaining the intention of the abyss?" Oz asked seriously looking at Break, whose finger was still in his mouth. "Gil told me that both Pandora and the Baskervilles were looking for it." Raven and Evan carried the steaming cups of coffee over to the table. "Oz, Evan. How did the abyss look to you?" Break questioned scooting over so Evan could sit down; he gratefully accepted the cup from her, his eyes held her gaze once more. Evan covered her face and forced a cough, another blush creeping up. She could have sworn that she saw Raven glance angrily at Break.

Break turned to his cup, "Like the fabled prison mentioned in fairy tales? Or like a broken toy box?" He placed his cup on the table. "This is what Pandora believes, that the abyss… is a womb that gives birth to weapons known as chains. That is why we want the intention of the abyss. The core being that is creating that dimension!" Xerxes began to play with his cup grinning wickedly.

"And the individual absolutely essential to our purpose is you… Oz." Oz hacked violently having swallowed his candy at this piece of news. "Because the Baskervilles… and even the 'intention' itself appeared this time, I'm sure of it." He brought the cup closer to his face. Alice started to come out behind the chair.

"I'm positive you're the key to obtaining the 'intention'. And you Evan are the lock."  
>"That person in the red cloak was saying the same thing." Alice stated darkly.<br>Evan leaned in towards Break, "What do you mean? They were trying to kill me, why would they if I was part of their plan to?" Break grinned, and he leaned forward looking at her bemusedly, his eyes travelling her body, he grinned darkly, "Because my dear, you don't need to be alive to be of use to them." Evan leaned back her fingers digging into her palms.

"Why don't you try thinking of the intention of the abyss as an apparatus that possesses immense power? Currently it's malfunctioning and affection our work." Break brought the cup to his lips. "The right key is necessary to make the machine work properly, but that key needs a lock to open." He nodded towards Evan. "And you two are just that sort of being!" Evan stared at the ceiling soaking in everything. What was she keeping locked?

"Do you understand? So you two have the power to command the entirety of the Abyss!" Evan jumped up and knocked over a cup that rolled off the table, but didn't break because Raven caught it. "Why would we have such-" Oz started clutching the blanket on the couch. Break tipped the mug above his head and poured out the remainder of the liquid.

"Who can say? We still don't know all the details." He peered at Oz. "But perhaps the reason… has to do something with your 'sin'? And Evan, you can summon an opening to the abyss all by yourself, without any preparation or certain spells. You know that those 'spells' and steps were all for show. All you had to do was think it." Break was looking directly into her eyes.

Oz got up and swayed drunkenly while Evan was shaking her head back and forth. "Hey!" Raven yelled grabbing Oz trying to steady him. Oz suddenly smiled and lifted his hands; "_**Boo!"**_ he cried giggling. He ran away grabbing one of the cups of coffee. Evan sighed and sat back down, where Oz shortly joined her. Oz began laughing hysterically. "Did you think I was feeling blue? You're such a worry-wart, Gil! It doesn't feel real since you just told us all that. Does it Evan?" Evan looked at him and chuckled, "Nope, it feels like I'm dreaming and I'll wake up any second." Oz nodded, "Exactly, So of course we're okay, right?" Break stared in surprise at them both, his body frozen. "I'm going to keep looking for Alice's memories just like before. And even if the Baskervilles show up again… as long as I have my friends with me, I know I'll be all right!" Oz grinned happily.

"You're some freaky kids." Break said simply. He was leaning on his arm studying the two of them with a bored expression. He stood up swishing his coat as he did so. "What…?" Evan asked.

"I'm curious about what it was that warped the two of you so." Break made his way toward them. "But then… You don't seem to have yet realized that yourself." Break leaned in close so that his head was resting between the two of them. He was so close that Evan could smell his breath, a delicious blend of sugar, coffee, and a musky hint. "Say, Evan, Oz… Where, in the worlds are you?" He tipped Evan's chin back. "My clouded eyes… don't reflect either of you at all, you see…?" He seemed sad and Evan had to fight the urge to wrap her arms around him. Suddenly their attention was taken away when Alice began laughing crazily.

"Your eyeballs finally rotted right outta yer skull, huh, ya clowny bastard!" She grabbed Oz and Evan around their necks. "It's so obvious! There both, right here!" Alice called. Oz blushed while Evan just sighed. Break seemed to ponder this for a moment before he exhaled and replied, "Then let's leave it at that." He turned and walked over to a cupboard and began to climb in. "Why you!" Alice fumed.

"Well… we'll be going now. He turned so that his faced peeked through the crevice of the cupboard, "And so my friends I bid you all adieu!" with that Break disappeared behind the closed doors of the cupboard. Raven and Alice sprinted over and threw the doors open. "He's not there!" Alice cried. "How come?" Raven yelled.

Oz began to walk into the hall; Evan went opposite him to the window and leaned against it staring out it. _"Where… in the world are you?"_ how should she know? Suddenly her chest compacted and she could barely breathe. Let's say the feeling is just like that instant when you're underwater and your lungs are begging for air. Evan crumpled to the floor. Raven was at her side in an instant. Evan clutched at where her incuse was; she crouched back up and looked out the window. And as if to add to it the pounding returned. _"Hmm… it would seem the countdown had begun. Say, you guys, you… or I? Who will be the first to run out of time? Oh Evan… how I look forward to the day where you belong to me, and not him._ Evangeline Hel Blantern tore at the button on her blouse, Raven choked a bit but she ignored him. There just above her mound rest the incuse and it had moved one notch.


	13. Hush hush

_When the hand of the incuse goes around once… the contractor is dropped into the lowest layer of the abyss._

"Evan? Are you alright? Where did Oz go?" Raven asked grasping her shoulders pulling her up, she stumbled forward her head landing in Raven's chest. Raven shuddered, but Evan was too surprised to notice. "I think… he went into the hall." She pushed away and walked over to the hallway, sitting under a window sat Oz crouched clutching at his chest. Oz looked at her; Evan stared at him before she nodded her head gently.

"Oz? Is something wrong..?" Raven wondered aloud. Alice looked over at the three of them in confusion. Aamir crawled over to Alice and began to toy with the folds of her dress. She attempted and failed to kick him off. Oz clutched his chest harder before shaking his head and grunting. Oz gave them a closed smile, "Nothing at all!"

_You're some freaky kids._

"What's this?" Alice questioned picking a bouquet of roses off the ground. A letter fluttered away from it. Raven reached for the letter. "Ah, that's… well a cute girl in blue had them with her-?" Oz began still not entirely sure. Evan sniffed the flowers, and sneezed, while Alice stared at them hungrily. "Vincent…" Raven muttered. Oz and Evan looked at him.

"What?" Evan asked leaning over Raven's shoulder trying to get a glimpse of the letter, "Who's it from?" She asked again. Raven smirked faintly before folding the paper and stuffing it in his shirt. "It's nothing…" Oz peered at him skeptically. "Forget that, you must be starving, am I right? Why don't we go buy stuff for dinner?" Alice spat out the rose petals with a flourished 'Bleh'. Evan sighed and pounded on her back teasingly. Alice threw one of the petals at her.

…..

The marketplace was bustling with activity, shopkeepers enticing customers to 'take a look'. Raven led the group while Evan held a squirming Aamir in her arms from grabbing at the objects spread out. "Break's looking into the B-rabbit's memory we saw. So we bide out time at home, for now." Raven stated nodding toward Evan and Oz. "'Kay…" Oz said glancing around. Evan merely nodded.

"And I too… have all kinds of things I haven't gotten the chance to tell you yet…" Oz and Evan looked at Raven. He looked younger, Evan mused silently that this might have been what he looked like when he was a child. "'Kay…" Oz said again.

Alice ran up to them, "Hey, Oz, Evan, did you see! There's yummy-looking meat over that way!" Alice yelled pointed rapidly in the direction of some stalls. Raven stared at her haughtily. "What? You want to have meat?" Oz asked, absolutely rubbing in the childish innocence Alice was emitting.

"Y…up! I want to have some! For sure…" Alice said staring with determination at Oz. "**No.**" Raven stated crossing her arms. Evan covered her mouth and suppressed a laugh. Raven glanced at her, smiling at her antics. Alice pivoted shock written on her face clearly. "Why not!" She cried.

"It's cheaper to buy ingredients over the ready-made stuff. Everyone knows that…" Oz watched in rejected silence. "Tch! You sissies…!" Alice turned and punched her palm angrily. "I've had it. I'll go grab some myself." Raven jumped, "Hold it! All right! I'll buy you some!" He cried after her as she pranced away victoriously. Oz plopped on a barrel that happened to be on the side of the street. Evan leaned up on the wall next to him. Raven turned towards them in surprise.

"We're good. We'll wait here." Oz said happily. Raven's face softened and he leaned towards the two. Placing a hand on each of their shoulders. "Don't worry about what break said, okay?" Oz seemed surprised that he had said that, while Evan merely peered at him curiously. Raven continued explaining, "Most of what he does just amounts to meaningless harassment! Why over these last ten years even I've-"  
>"Gil." Oz said quietly, stopping him from his rant. "We're alright, so why don't you get going?" Oz questioned smiling pleasantly. Raven smiled and took off his hat, placing it on Oz's head with a faint 'plop'. "I'll be back soon." He turned and ran off. Evan could vaguely hear Raven call. "Hey wait you stupid rabbit!"<p>

Oz pulled the hat down onto his head tightly. He turned to Evan and whispered, "Are we worrying about what Break said? '_Where in the world are you?'_" Evan turned toward him and smiled motherly like, waiting for him to continue. "Could that really be, even when we had no clue… what he was asking us?" Evan frowned and casually handed Oz Aamir taking the hat from him, she placed it on her head while Oz stared at the monkey chain in his hands uncertainly. Evan smiled, "Just think of him as a teddy bear, don't worry he'll let you pet him." Aamir frowned. _"I disagree entirely with that statement."_ Nonetheless he remained quite while Oz buried his face in the warm Capuchin's fur. "'_I'm curious… about what it was that warped you two so."_ Evan heard Oz say. She sighed and placed the hat on his head with a gentle hand. She turned and looked over the sea of heads and stalls.

Evan felt a faint pounding in the back of her head. "Damn." She muttered. Oz looked up at her quizzically, "What?" Evan shook her head, "A headache, nothing more." Oz nodded and turned back to twirling Aamir's tail in his fingers.

"_Oz told me. So you've lost your memories too, hm?" Alice questioned. Evan could vaguely see a stall filled with sausages and poultry of all kinds hanging from hooks. Raven looked at her in surprise. "So am I right?" Alice continued, "You don't remember your parents either? Is that it?" She asked munching on a turkey leg. "No reason." She put her fingers to her lips and stared sadly at the ground. "I… was just wondering what parents were like." Gilbert looked at her; Alice gripped the paper bag which held food tighter to her chest. "Say, Raven… If parents are the ones who give birth to life… are they also the ones who create a reason for your existence?" Alice asked turning away._

_Raven looked to the side, giving Evan a glimpse of his ear piercing and the way his hair fell perfectly on his forehead. "Can't say I know." Raven admitted. Alice clenched her teeth angrily. "It was stupid of me to ask you." She began walking away as she tossed the bone onto the ground. "Well, what-ever, I'll make Oz and Evan tell me la-" Raven clenched his fists and before she could finish said, "Don't!" there was the light murmur of a crowd. Alice turned coldly toward him. _

"_Don't you dare… bring up parents in front of them!" Raven yelled clenching his teeth. Alice looked at him blankly. "Why n-" she began before Raven countered, "Just because you stupid Rabbit! It's a sensitive subject for him." The people around them had begun to stop shopping to watch the beginnings of a fight. "You… a chain like you would never understand!" Raven yelled at him. Alice looked at him in shock before glaring at him evilly. "Ha! Those two are sensitive you say? Oz is the kind of guy who was leisurely munching cookies when he was thrown in to the abyss! And Evan, oh don't get me started! I think you mean they've got five or six screws lose!"_

Throughout this exchange Evan and Oz were still sitting there. Evan grunted when Alice mentioned the screws, before returning to watching the show.

"_Just like you!" Alice cried, "Why would you want to serve a brat who's always smiling like an idiot? And I've seen how you look at her!" _Evan opened her eyes in confusion. She shook it off and went back to the argument. _Raven slammed his hand next to Alice's head angrily. "An ignorant fool like you who knows nothing… has no right to insult them!" Raven said darkly. Alice crossed her arms having dropped the bag of food. "All right them. Enlighten me." Raven looked confused. "So in other words… 'if I know more, I can make fun of him to my heart's content right?'" Alice questioned climbing atop a crate so she could look down at Raven. "Well I don't have the slightest interest in my servant's past! But if you have to tell me now matter what! … I suppose I can hear you out." She laughed evilly while Raven shook angrily. "And if I hear about it now… I won't have to ask them right?" _

Evan smiled; Aamir muttered something about having a hard time breathing. Oz released him; he jumped from Oz into Evan's awaiting arms. "Their taking forever… Hey Evan," Oz said grinning, "I wonder if there's a cute girl around here…" Evan stared at him in surprise… "You realize, I'm the same age as Raven right… well not counting my time in the abyss…" Oz laughed, "No not you, no offense but… let's go look around." Evan agreed she was becoming bored, and she needed some time to think about what she had heard Raven and Alice talk about. How did Raven look at her? Suddenly Oz and Evan looked into an Alley, they could vaguely see the silhouetted figures of three boys, one in a choke hold and the other holding him, while yet another teased.

They headed toward the alley.

"Ha-ha! Take a look at this! This guy's carrying a photo of his mommy around!" one of the boys teased holding a locket right in front of the boy in a chokehold. "Serves you right, you aristocrat momma's boy! Did you know? His daddy runs around day after day, just paying off his debts." The boy in a chokehold panted anger in his eyes. Evan noted how much he looked like Raven. "Don't…" the boy pulled against his captor and ran at the boy with the locket, "Make fun of my father!" the locket flew through the air; Aamir caught it easily, and extended the necklace to Oz. He grinned sweetly at them all, chuckling gently. "Won't you let big brother and sister play too?" he questioned happily. The boys all stared at him strangely. "Huh? Who're you…"

"An ally of evil who just happened to pass by!" Oz sang. Evan almost instantly thought of Break, and smiled along with him. Suddenly he glared at the boys. "In any case, you guys have no idea how to bully someone properly." He marched over to the boy, Evan in tow. The bully's backed away. "If you're going to do it, do it right! Not something as kid like as this. Right Evan?" She nodded in agreement. Oz slammed his hand next to the boys head in an intimidating way. "Use a knife to rip off his nails at the very least." He whipped a shiny, sharp knife out of his shirt and held it at his side threateningly. The boy who was being teased stared at him terrified. "Here let me show you how… y-you will scream for me most delightfully won't you?" Oz questioned allowing his bangs to fall on his eyes as he licked the blade. The bully's screamed and ran away terrified. Oz smiled, and plopped the boy on the head, as Raven had so many times.

The boy flinched when he saw Oz touch the tip of the blade. Suddenly oz peeled off the wrapper to reveal chocolate. "Want some?" he asked handing a candy to the boy.

….

"Wow! Your mother sure is gorgeous." Oz complimented, handing the locket to Evan so she could get a look of the woman. She nodded in agreement, "Yes, very beautiful indeed."  
>"Yup! She passed away, but… she was a really nice and warm person!" Evan smiled gently, and Oz patted the boy's head. "You lonely?" the boy shook his head vigorously. "Nope! Because I've got father." Evan looked up at the mention of father; Oz also seemed a bit confused. "Our family right? It was 'ruined' and… we couldn't keep living in the big mansion anymore." The boy said thoughtfully. "Now our house is really small, and we don't have servants either, but… father's with me more often that before! So… I'm not lonely at all!" Oz looked at him quietly, before smiling gently. Evan clenched her fists.<p>

"Is that right…?" Evan muttered.

"Hey, hey, what about big sister and brother?" Oz looked confused, "What are your father and mother like?" the boy asked cheerfully. Oz stared frozen at him looking forward for a moment. Evan answered first. "My mother and father are dead." She stated coldly without elaborating. Oz looked at the boy, "My mother is… gone too, like yours, and my father… well… I don't even remember his face." Oz pulled Raven's hat on and hid under it.

"_Hey? When will father come home?" a young Oz asked while the maid help do his buttons. "The master is a terribly busy man. But… if young master is a good boy… he will definitely come home to praise you!"_ The boy handed Oz and Evan a picture of his father. Evan only glanced at it, before nodding appraisingly. _  
>"I understand! I'll do my very best!"<em> Suddenly the pounding returned in a violent wave. Evan had to dig her fingers into her arms to resist crying out.

"_A child like that… should never have been born." The man stated angrily, crumpling the flowers in his hands. Oz stared frozen. Gilbert jumped at the man demanding to know why this was so. "Who do you think you are?" The man demanded as he tossed Gilbert to the ground. "Do you intend to defy your master, servant?" Gilbert held his head and clenched his fist, he began to rise. "Many apologies… but my master is not you… it is young master Oz!" Oz visibly paled. "Enough take him away." The man demanded. Two people grabbed Gilbert by the arms and began to drag him away. Oz rushed forward reaching for the man, "Please wait! Please don't fire Gilbert!" Oz cried. "Young Master?" Gil yelled. "Please I beg you. Fa-" his hand was slapped away. "Don't touch me. You Vile Creature." The man said angrily. Gilbert was dragged away. Raven then began to talk to Alice, as if explaining what he had just told her. "For the next three days… I was locked away in the basement of the mansion. Once rescued by Oscar I dashed to Oz and found…" Oz sat on a bench reading, he looked up and smiled, "Hey… Gilbert. Sorry for putting you through all that. Are you alright?' Gil stared at him before he bent his head allowing tears to fall through them, "Why? This was all, my! It was all my fault!" Oz looked at him blankly. He walked over and crouched next to him. "Say Gil. I thought things over. For the three days you weren't here. I thought and thought long and hard, all by myself… so it's all right now." Gilbert looked up in surprise, tears running down his face. "Things were this way from the very beginning." Oz put his hand to his face. Then suddenly he pulled it away, smiling grimly. "I'm alright. I just need to accept everything as it is. That's all…" Raven finished his story pulling his cigarette away from his face. He turned toward Alice. "Maybe I've… said too much." Alice was silent. "Well… it's about time we got back to Oz-" he was cut off when Alice suddenly leaped from her sitting position and covered her nose. _

"_Something stinks." Raven looked offended and smelled his coat, "The reek of an insect. I've smelled it in the abyss! It's close… a dimwit contractor… who can't even hide his chain-!"_


	14. Red and Green

Evan saw her first. She had white hair and was wearing what looked like a school uniform. Her aura breathed power.

Evan growled beneath her breath. "Philippe West, yes?" The girl asked sternly. Oz and the other boy, (Presumably Philippe) jumped up in surprise. Oz beamed happily exclaiming; "Huh? You're the girl with the flowers-" the girl stared at him with an other worldly gaze. "Echo is a servant of the Nightray Dukedom." Echo took a step toward them. "By order of my master Vincent, I have come to claim that child." Echo pointed to Philippe. Oz looked bewildered.

Suddenly Echo whipped out a blade and pointed it directly at Oz. Evan stood up angrily, but Echo glared at her threateningly; causing Evan to pause. "Please surrender that child to me quietly. Or else you shall be considered a hindrance to the execution of my official duties… and as such I shall eliminate you here."

Oz covered his mouth and wobbled a bit before saying; "To think we'd meet again in a place like this… is this… could it be… Fate-" He was interrupted by Echo's anti-melodramatic answer, "Who are you?" Oz looked crest fallen.

During this entire exchange at the most inadequate moment, the pounding returned. Evan found herself in a tea room, Sharon sitting at the table drinking her tea with someone wearing a uniform.

"_My lady, I've returned!" Xerxes called crawling out from underneath the table. "Oh my, oh my, what have we here? Well if it isn't Reim." Break waved towards him while Sharon nodded at Break in acknowledgement. "Y-you haven't changed a bit… Xerxes Break." Reim said somewhat flabbergasted. "Can't you come through the door like an ordinary human being?" Reim asked annoyed._

_Break hopped upon the table flamboyantly swinging his legs. "Ha-ha-ha! And you're just as square as ever." He quipped in return. "…So? You going to the trouble of coming over here can only mean one thing-" Break then reached over and grabbed Reims cake and began to eat it. "Did something happen at Pandora?" He finished. _

Evan focused all of her attention on what was going to happen next, it could give her some leverage, she ignored Echo and Oz.

_Reim glared at Break. "It has to do with the illegal contractor we captured the other day." Break brought a frosting covered finger to his lips, smiling he replied, "'Grim,' yes? My lady and I were planning to come by and look in on him tomorrow! He's an important clue to tracking down the head hunter after all! I must say I am very much looking forward to-"  
>"He got away." Reim stated quietly. Break licked the plate in silence before looking at Reim; "Huh?"<br>Reim fumed in embarrassment. "I'm saying he got away!" He cried._

"_This afternoon, at two o'clock. He fled after killing his six guards. As of now we still do not know Grim's whereabouts." Reim concluded indignantly. Break looked at him in innocence. "You are so… __**useless**__" Break and Emily stated in unison. "What was that!" Reim demanded. _

"_Well, he was wounded right? That's why we were waiting for him to recover and all!" Break explained.  
>"Well… we do admit our negligence but…!" He began not knowing how to finish. Sharon smirked. "Reim you may consider that person over there to be like air. So please, will you not continue?" she asked gently. Break hugged Emily to his chest and began kicking his legs whispering 'AIR' over and over again.<em>

Evan grinned; he could be cute when he wanted to be.

"_Pandora is currently looking for Grim but-" Reim started before Break interrupted him, "Wouldn't you say he's already in the town of Reveil?" suddenly he brought his fingers to his lips and began laughing darkly. Break sat up pulling on Sharon's hair. "Listen my lady! I just have this feeling that things are going to get most interesting!"_

Evan jerked up when Echo began sprinting after a fleeing Philippe and Oz began chasing after her. "I zone out for one second and look what happens!" Evan cried after them, she started running an extremely annoyed Aamir following suit. "What is it? Please do not follow me." Echo called back.  
>"Well… but I can't just let this go…" Oz replied.<br>"Please leave me alone. You are being a nuisance." Echo stated.  
>"A nui-" Oz cried and gripped Echo's arm, "I said wait, what in the world did that kid-" Suddenly Echo whirled and pointed her blade at Oz's throat. "I have already told you… that I will eliminate you if you interfere." Evan ran up and stood next to Oz. Echo looked down at Raven's hat which Oz had dropped next to his feet. "That hat is…"<br>Oz looked at the hat. "Ah, I borrowed this from Gil…"  
>Echo began to lower the blade, "Might you three be… a friend of Gilbert's?" She questioned.<p>

Oz spun in a circle. "It's nothing as simple as all that, you hear! Because you know I'm… Gilbert Nightray's… owner!" He cried. Aamir grumbled something along the lines of 'liar' but Evan pulled his tail causing him to be quiet.

"Owner?" Echo questioned unsure.  
>"In other words, Gil owes me his life, I teach him about life, and Gil can't live his life without me!" Evan thought that was a bit… over exaggerated.<p>

Echo visibly paled; "I see…" Echo began to bow, "Please forgive my ignorance."  
>"Ah! No, no! Don't worry about it…" Oz muttered in reply. Echo looked at Evan wearily. Oz noticed and stated matter factly, "Don't worry she's his… maid servant." Evan glared daggers at him. "Right so…! Put that thing away and explain what's going on please?" Oz said twitching as he grabbed her shoulders. "Yes… very well. If I hurt Gilbert's benefactor… Echo will be scolded by Vincent." Evan cocked her head at the name, she was quite certain she had heard it before. "But this mission has nothing to do with you… so if you will excuse me." She turned and ran off.<p>

Oz immediately followed her, Evan sighed before going after them both. "Hey wait up! Well… we just got to know that kid now… but we talked… we identified with him… and felt that I couldn't leave him alone… so if we care for him… then this is our business too, right!" Oz cried. Echo stopped, keeping her back turned. "At present, Echo is chasing an illegal contractor who has escaped. If you wish to follow, then do as you please." Echo leaped from the ground onto a wall, "However, should you be dragged into Echo's mission and die in the process, it has naught to do with Echo." Echo turned to a surprise stricken Oz. Oz clutched Raven's hat closer to himself. Evan felt the pounding beginning to return. She pushed against it, suppressing the conversation that she was about to unwillingly witness. She suppressed it successfully until she lost the will power; she came in at the end of the conversation.

"_Too bad for you, Raven." Alice stated citing her apple. "It's too late!"_

Evan ran after Oz, who in return ran after Echo. "Hey, wait, Eko!"  
>"It is Echo." She corrected him.<br>"What you were just talking about… what are you going to do, after you've captured the illegal contractor. There's no way you'd kill him right? Not a little kid like that!" He yelled, Echo looked at him questioningly. Suddenly Echo seemed to spot something and she leaped off of the wall that rode along the canal landing with a thump on Philippe. "Captured." Echo stated.

"Benefactor. It would seem that you have misunderstood one thing. This child is not the contractor." Oz stared in shock while Evan sighed in relief. Aamir just looked on uninterested. Suddenly a loud boom resonated around them. "What was that!" Evan yelped.

"Most unfortunate." Echo sighed. "It appears I have apprehended the hostage for nothing." Suddenly Echo looked at Oz, "So… the contractor of the chain Grim is not this child… it is his father." Suddenly Echo began sprinting toward the place where the noise came from, this time Evan and Oz ran with her, not after her.

Upon approaching another wall Evan could hear Raven and Alice, "You are… worthless!" Alice was screaming, "I don't want to hear that from you!" Raven replied angrily. Echo jumped off the wall directly over their heads, Oz and Evan stood on the wall watching. Echo had slashed the chain Grim with her blade, then completed quintuple twirl. She looked in surprise at Raven, "Gilbert?" She stated dumbly. "Echo is that you!" Raven called, "Raven, Alice!" Evan called.

"Evan… Oz!" Raven said surprised.  
>"Uh, what're you two doing?" Oz questioned. Suddenly he looked at the contractor of the chain in horror; Evan stared at the man with a look of disgust. "That's Philippe's father." She whispered.<br>"It can't be…" Oz muttered gripping the wall. Echo avoided another attack by Grim, "Stop it! You can't fight it alone!" Raven cried, Grim reed up and slapped Echo away, then turned and slammed into the wall where the three of them were watching. "Oz, Evan!" Raven cried running toward the falling rubble. Evan pulled Oz and Aamir to her chest and pushed herself back first in order to cushion the fall. Evan was almost stupid she heard Aamir address her as the rubble fell around them, _"I contracted with a reckless human. What joy."_ Evan smiled faintly, if he could be sarcastic, then he and Oz would be fine.

The rubble didn't feel like it should Evan noticed. She turned her head and saw a patch of black hair. "How Raven?" She whispered. He grunted in reply.

Insane laughter brought her attention, "Aah, You're the only one left… B… B-rabbit!" Philippe's father yelled. "Heh-heh… H-h-how should we devour her, Grim? Should we devour her after we squash her flat?" The man cooed. Alice was silent before she wrapped her arms around herself and smiled righteously. "I'd prefer being torn to pieces." She said childishly.  
>"What?" the man asked.<br>"Ha, don't worry… I'll chop you into nice little bits… so your sorry figure improves a bit!" she cried grasping a dagger. Evan could feel Raven stir and raise his hand to Oz's head. "Aamir… attack." Evan commanded in a dangerously low voice.

Alice and Aamir changed simultaneously, the incuse beneath Evan and Oz's shirts seemed to glow, as Alice turned into a giant rabbit and Aamir transformed into a black swarm of what could only be described as locusts. "Get out of my sight! You piece of shit!" The B-rabbit demanded as she attacked Grim. _"Yes, please do."_ Aamir agreed in a thousand miniature voices as his swarm circled around Grim's face. Raven slumped against Evan causing her to fall to the side, she groaned gently.

Oz jumped up, "No…Alice, Aamir! Stop attacking the chain!" Oz screamed. Evan crouched and stared at the man. Every time the chain got hit, the same damage seemed to be given to the contractor. "**Aamir, come.**" Evan whispered. He reluctantly pulled away and came back to her in his original monkey shape.

"How could you! he sinned by mocking me… and I shall make him pay with his life!" The B-rabbit cried as she ran at Grim. Oz began panicking clutching his chest. Evan looked at him in surprise. She had learned how to control chains by watching… at the ceremonies she performed others ordered theirs around with an air of command. So she took to that.

Oz closed his eyes sleepily leaning back, Evan stared at him in confusion, and suddenly he opened his eyes in anger. "Stop! _**ALICE!**_" He screeched. To Evan's surprise the B-rabbit disappeared and in its place Alice appeared falling down landing with a thud. Alice looked at them in shock. Oz suddenly stood up and began to make his way to the man.

Evan attempted to grab him, but she pushed her off. Evan turned to the unconscious Raven. She sighed and began to shake him gently. Oz rushed towards the man. "Stay back!" He cried pointing a gun at Oz, Oz dodged it easily. "Oz!" Alice cried. "Damn you Raven, wake up!' Evan cried frantically beginning to shake him more violently. "Why… did you become an illegal contractor…!" Oz demanded. The man aimed his gun and shot again, this time skimming Oz's cheek. Alice paled.

"Ha-ha-ha! Why did I enter into a contract with a chain? It was to change my past of course!" The man cried out maniacally. Oz stared out to the side. "If… I had not believed my friend's words… my family would not have been ruined. I would not have become so miserable… my wife wouldn't have gotten sick, and I would've been able to make Philippe happy! Yes… I… Killed people for my son's sake!" the man yelled angrily.

Evan felt her body return to that age where her father would throw her down the steps if she failed to bring the snacks to his guests in less than thirty seconds. When she had asked him why he punished her so often he had replied that it was for her sake. "Liar, Liar, Liar." Evan whispered.

"For Philippe's sake?" Oz whispered, suddenly his face contorted into an ice cold rage that made Evan shiver. "Are you… are you serious about that? Are you?" Oz yelled forcing his way so that the gun was pressing against his head. "H-how… could you understand anything about me?" The man cried.  
>"Yeah I don't know anything about you."<br>_This isn't like you, you're being reckless stop. _Evan wanted to scream, but she had long since lost the courage to even whisper.  
>"Why… Why aren't you with Philippe? Why aren't you by his side? You care about your son! So… why are you making him suffer like I did?" Oz screamed clinging to the man's shirt. Evan covered her face with her hands and whimpered quietly; <em>alone, miserable, suffering, doesn't belong.<em> Those feelings were all too familiar. Regaining her composure she turned back to Raven, while Aamir watched her curiously.

"That child… only… only wished not to be alone… just being with him… just that! Just that would have been enough!" Oz yelled as a tear streamed down his face. Alice looked at him confused while Oz pushed off the man and brought his hands to his face.

Evan grunted in frustration, Raven wasn't responding. In a lack of inspiration she leaned into his ear and whispered, "Oz, Evan, Alice, and Aamir are in danger. Go save them." Raven stirred slightly he brought his hand to his head in a tired fashion. Evan Grinned at him. "Please go see… Philippe." Oz said quietly to the man. Raven jerked up and cried out, "Oz!" Raven shipped out his gun and pointed it at the man, Oz jumped in front of him in defense. "Don't shoot him!"

Blood appeared out of the man's temple as he crumpled to the ground bleeding. Oz stared forward in shock; Alice attempted to get up, while Raven looked forward in horror. Oz turned to see the man's body. Evan and Raven rushed forward Raven grabbed Oz and forced his hand on his head; Evan ran to Alice and helped her up. "Stop it… don't touch me… why… why did you shoot him!" Oz cried in angry confusion. "This man was already… I didn't do it! I didn't shoot." Raven said to Oz.

"I shot him."

Everyone turned to see a man with white hair, in a black uniform similar to Reim's. "Because that child was about to be killed. In any case, that man… was either going to drop into the abyss of die. Those were the only alternatives left for him." The man said as if this explained everything. "So this… was the right thing to do." The man said looking up, Evan gasped. She had seen those eyes before; red and green, hard to forget. But where she couldn't remember. "Vincent!" Raven said, surprised.

Oz and Evan looked up at the man in shock. Alice glared at him in hated while Aamir seemed a bit uncomfortable. "Vince, is your carriage still here?" Raven asked. "Yeah… nearby." He replied. "I want to have them rest in a safe place. Let me borrow it." Raven stated. "No, Gil… I… Philippe…" Oz began before he was cut off by Raven gripping his shoulder tightly. "Sure. Gil, I'd be happy to… do anything _you_ ask of me." Vincent replied happily.


	15. A little hint

Evan gratefully accepted two towels from Sharon, Evan languidly approached Raven and threw a towel on his head, he yelped indignantly, but all the same used it to dry off. "Now I understand what went on." Sharon said walking over to a table to place the towels down. "Excuse us for visiting so late, Miss Rainsworth. Gil was whining that he didn't wish to return to Nightray." Vincent explained rubbing down Echo's hair. "Oh, no… I do not mind."  
>"Well shall we go now Echo…?" Vincent hummed happily.<p>

"Oh, leaving already?" Evan asked looking up, "Yes, there's business to take care of regarding the incident." Vincent allowed his gaze to travel to Break who was standing by the door glaring at Echo and Vincent. "And unlike Gil… I don't seem to be very welcome here…"

It was made exceedingly apparent by the way that Xerxes glared with such hatred at Vincent, that… he wasn't quite happy with the fact that he was in his house. "I'll see you to the front door… Vincent." Break stated scathingly. Vincent remained pleasant as he rose with Echo in tow and followed Break out.

"It is…" Raven began suddenly in an angry voice. "My job to protect my master. But he… always willingly…" Sharon frowned sadly before helping him dry his hair with the towel Evan had given him. "If Oz is lacking in some way, you must help him realize what it is… However… should you not be telling the four of them, about something else first?" Sharon questioned.

Evan looked up, Raven was staring at the ground and Sharon had gone over to the table to sip some tea. The pounding returned and Evan could hear Alice and Oz talking.

"_I was a bit surprised." Alice said from her spot where she was changing. "Eh?" Oz questioned from the ground. "Even you… get angry like that." Oz looked to the side shyly. "Was I… angry?" he asked quietly. "Huh? Weren't you?"  
>"No… I'm not really sure. I was all confused and I didn't know what I was saying… I just can't forget about him… how do I say it… when I think about… Philippe, waiting for his father alone… I…" Alice looked over at him in surprise; she sighed and wrapped a towel around herself. "I don't understand what you're fretting over. To tell the truth I don't care what happens to that brat. But…" Alice swished the towel loosely and fell against Oz's back. "Even I can tell that being alone… makes you 'cold' even a chain understands that. You must be sad that the brats alone… and feeling that way?" Alice finished staring off into the distance. "Yeah… yeah." Oz replied quietly.<em>

Evan was familiar with being cold. Raven got up, "Come on Evan I need to talk to you four." He walked slowly as if thinking through something. Evan followed at the same pace, she noted something of great annoyance, the pounding hadn't gone away.

_"This is my personal speculation… but someone inside Pandora may have helped Grim escape." Break said as he led Vincent down the dark hallway. "Oh…?" Vincent questioned. "Maybe they were afraid of information leaking from Grim. Thus, they let him go first, so it wouldn't be obvious that he had help from within the organization. Then they could get rid of him quietly… or by killing him by faking an accident… 'Killing him was the right thing to do in order to save the child.'… or some other reason like that." Break sang grinning wickedly. _

_Vincent chuckled, "What a scary thought… that someone like that may be in the organization…" Break seemed annoyed that he hadn't enticed the proper reaction. "Ha-ha-ha! Not to worry. If such fellows really exist I will track them down…" Echo twitched at that. "No matter whom they are." Break finished darkly. "I… look forward to it." Vincent said his red and green eyes twinkling._

Raven stopped in the hallway at a door, he opened it and ushered Evan in. "Vincent Nightray. That is his name." Oz looked up in surprise while Evan chastised Alice, "What're you wearing, you stupid rabbit?" Alice fumed, "You're so annoying, shut up!"

"Then he's…" Oz whispered staring at Raven. Raven in returned narrowed his eyes in an agreeing manner. Raven walked over to a chair and rubbed the upholstered decorations, "I came to tell you… what I haven't told you yet. About that day… ten years ago." Alice and Evan looked up in surprise while Aamir crawled over to the fireplace and made himself comfortable. "I had Nightray adopt me… so I could obtain Raven. The chain that Nightray 'owns.'"

"I hardly remember anything… about what happened at the coming of age ceremony. It wasn't just me. All those present lose their memories of what took place after _they_ appeared. The crimson robed Shinigami, the messengers from the abyss. 'It's a lie' I remember thinking. 'The young master being dropped into the abyss. That master… my master. No longer exists anywhere.' I remember I had been running through the woods when Break found me…

"_You'll catch a cold, you know? How do you do…Gilbert? I am Xerxes Break." _ Evan looked up from where she had laid down next to Aamir. She hadn't expected Break to be the one to rescue Raven. "I won't go into the details of it all, but Break said that my little brother, Vincent, was at the Nightray household…

"_My younger brother is with the Nightray family? And you are asking me to be taken in by them to…?" Break smiled and pulled out a box from his vest. "The Nightray family… is young Master's-!" Break interrupted him, "The family that killed his mother? But I've heard that no proof has been uncovered…"_

"_Even so… for me to betray the Vessalius family… and at a time like this!" Xerxes frowned and shook the box, "Whether you are a servant of the Rainsworth dukedom of otherwise… you are being imprudent!" Gilbert cried clutching his chest. "That is regrettable." Break said smiling. "What a wasted opportunity wouldn't you say Emily?"  
>"<em>_**Yes. If he can obtain the powers of the Nightray dukedom. He just might be able to rescue Oz Vessalius!**__" _

_Gilbert whirled around but Break wasn't there. "There we go! Now I've got you attention!" Break whispered from over Gilberts shoulder. Gilbert fell to the ground flailing. Break leaned forward rubbing his head. "Indulging in sentiment won't change a thing. Clinging to uncertain information… will only cause you to overlook the truth. You want to rescue your beloved master don't you?" Break grinned wickedly, "If so toss all emotion aside, and take advantage of all that you can." Gilbert's chest throbbed and he held it tightly. _

"_Oh dear! You pushed yourself too hard being injured and all. You'll get a sound scolding if they discover you've snuck out you know? Let's take you back to the mansion for now…" Break began leaning in to carry Gilbert._

"_Pease don't!" Gilbert cried pushing Break away. Break's hat fell off and his bangs strayed to the side, revealing an empty eye socket. "Ah, my apologies. Did you see it?" Break asked picking up his hat while covering his eye. "Your eye ball… is missing!" Gilbert exclaimed. Break smiled sadly. "It was taken away once upon a time. For you see Gilbert I," Break threw his hat in the air, releasing a dove, "believe that this time 'round your master being dropped into the abyss is the prelude to a major incident that is to take place shortly." Break shook his hat and two pieces of candy fell out. "I would like to know what that incident will be. However surveying everything with just one eye is nearly impossible wouldn't you agree?" Break dropped a piece of candy into Gilbert's hand. "Do you understand now?"_

"_I… need your cooperation. Using the powers of the 'raven' you may be able to rescue your master. So how about it?" Break asked, swishing his cape menacingly. "Do me this favor… and I shall assist you as your reward." Gilbert clenched the candy in his hand. Gilbert looked up tears in his eyes as he grabbed at the grass on the ground. "What… what would you have me do!" Gilbert cried. Break put a finger on the boys chin and tilted his face up, "I wish to spy on the Nightray Dukedom. Yes. And so my wish can come true… I would like you… to act as my eye!" Break exclaimed pulling Gilbert so that he was looking up at him, his hat forgotten. "My precious left eye… which monitors the rats of Nightray!"_

"_Will I… truly be able to rescue young master? Can I trust in your words?" Gilbert asked finally. "It doesn't matter. You don't need to trust me." Break answered. "Just use me. After all… I'm trying to do the same to you."_

Evan looked around sleepily; Raven hadn't quite finished his story as he was still staring out the window with his lips moving. Evan glanced at Alice and Oz; they were both asleep, Alice's foot attached to Oz's head. Evan closed her eyes and gently allowed herself to be wrapped by sleep.

…

You are Xerxes Break. And when you waltzed in to see how Oz was doing, you did not expect him to be asleep along with Alice. You glance towards the fire and smile, Evan is asleep as well, head encased in her shoulder and knees near her chest. Aamir is closest to the fire, his entire body spread like that of a dog. "What do you want?" Raven asks getting up from trying to dislodge Alice and Oz.

Why not have a little fun? "I have come to escort Evan to her room, but seeing as she's asleep." You walk over and promptly lean down getting ready to carry her. "That's not necessary." Raven states angrily pushing you from her. You frown, certainly he realizes that he will lose the competition, ultimately you, Xerxes Break will gain the affection of Evan? Certainly he knows that.

You smile pleasantly. "She must get to her room to sleep, unless you'd rather she stay on the floor." Raven's face flushes. "No, it's just that I'm sure I would be able to carry her." Raven replies half confident half ready to throw Break out the window. You glare at him, "Yes you most certainly would, but Emily would rather I carry Evan, why don't you carry the monkey." You don't expect him to agree, and you don't want him to, before he can reply you lean forward and pick Evan up bridal style. Immediately she wraps her arms around your neck and pulls you closer, attempting to hide her face in the folds of your robe. You smirk at Raven who is growling under his breath in a fit of unchecked rage. Finally he pulls Aamir up and holds him uncertainly. You lead the way through the hall.

As you carry Evan along the hallway you are made aware of her fingers as they twirl your hair in lazy circles, you are made aware of her sighs of contentedness. But more than anything you are made aware of how her body pushes against yours and seems to fit perfectly, in all the right places. Now it is your turn to sigh. You glance at Raven who is staring at the ground, but you can tell he longs to be in your place, and oh how it makes your smirk grow.

When you have finally reached the room you are loathe to remove her body from yours but it would be exceedingly uncomfortable if she woke up entangled with you. Well, uncomfortable for her. You place her on the bed and attempt to pull away, but her arms are holding you tightly. You untangle her fingers from your hair and disengage her arms from your neck. Raven sets Aamir next to her and immediately she pulls the monkey towards her and begins to curl his hair in her fingers lazily.

You and Raven leave the room quietly but the moment the door is closed he pushes you into the wall roughly. "Now, now Raven, wouldn't want to wake up the guests now would we?" you taunt. He fumes, but stops pushing. He walks down the hall towards his room where he will no doubt sulk for the remainder of the night, while you pivot and turn to go to your quarters. You smile as you finger the hair that Evan had twirled as she pressed her body up against your and you sigh. Most certainly, yes most certainly Raven will lose the competition.


	16. Jingle

"_I plan to head toward town later myself." Xerxes commented not looking up from the newspaper in front of him. A man that Evan didn't know leaned on Break's head with his arm. "What are you scheming, Xerxes?" _

Evan smiled, when wasn't he scheming?

"_Ha! Ha! Ha! That's not very nice!" Break smirked off to the side, "It's just that the prey took the bait quite nicely…so I'm going to make sure it doesn't eat and run, you see!"_

Immediately the pounding stopped and Evan was left rubbing her temples in a lazy fashion. "Hey, Raven?" Evan asked looking up. "What is it?" Raven turned looking at her questioningly.  
>Evan blushed involuntarily; she coughed and continued, "How did I get to my room last night? I mean I fell asleep on the floor…" She trailed off looking up towards Raven for clarification. He grunted and lit a cigarette. "Break…" Raven began angrily, "Carried you to your room." He finished scathingly. Evan frowned in confusion then smiled slightly, "Well, that was kind of him." Evan glanced back towards Alice who seemed to be staring off in the distance. "What's wrong Alice?" She called.<p>

"No… it's nothing." Alice whispered shaking her head. Evan and Oz led the way back to the alley where they had met Philippe as they thought that it was where Raven's hat would be, unfortunately it was nowhere to be seen. "Hmm, I thought this was the place but… it looks like someone already took it away!" Oz exclaimed.

Raven shook in worry, "M-my hat…!" Evan looked at Alice who had found a mouse and was currently sniffing it. "Don't eat that." Evan stated before turning back to Raven and Oz. "Ha-ha-ha! Just give up and buy a new one, why don't you?" Oz asked cheerily. "But I like that hat!" Raven exclaimed dashing out of the alley.

"Why's he making such a fuss over a silly hat…?" Alice muttered. Oz chuckled, "I bet… it holds all kinds of memories for him. It might not look like much, but to him… it's nothing short of a treasure." Alice stared at him in surprise. She crouched down next to him. "What's this? You still feeling down?" She asked seriously. Aamir crawled over to her and stole the mouse out of her hands throwing it like a ball. They all ignored him and he immediately dropped the mouse and clung to Evan's pant leg.

"I'm alright. Not depressed or anything." Oz replied kindly. Their attention was taken away when a loud murmuring hit their ears. "…Like I said! That's my hat!" They could hear Raven yelling. Evan sighed and walked out of the alley, Aamir, Alice and Oz in toe.

"Hey, hey! Don't you go making up stories, bro! I told you; my little brother gave me this hat, okay?"  
>"So let's see this little brother of yours! I'll interrogate him and make him cough up the truth…!" Raven demanded. Evan made her way through the crowd and inspected the group Raven was currently arguing with. A whorish woman with pouty lips, a burly clowny looking man chewing on a piece of meat, and a man who looked like a sly rat. He was the one who was wearing Raven's hat.<p>

"In any case, hurry up and get your filthy head away from my hat!" Raven yelled. Evan grinned and was about to approach when Oz moved ahead of her. "You picking a fight with me huh!" The man clenched his fist while Raven prepared to grab his gun. "If you don't quit your yapping'-!" Oz surprised Evan by running up to Raven and kicking him to the ground, he landed with a thud. "Honestly… you're just making trouble, for me mister." Oz stated. "I'm the only one who can bully this idiot! I've already staked my claim!" Oz steamed. Evan chortled under her breath.

Everyone looked at him in confusion. "What do you say… we settle this by fighting like men? There're more people watching now, so an arm wrestling match would be exciting right?" Oz asked happily. "Hey who said you could call the sho-!" the man with the hat exclaimed in anger before Oz feigned terror, "Ah! I'm so sorry." Suddenly his demeanor changed completely, "If you're scared to fight… you can just say so-!" he sang romantically. The man with the hat snapped. "You're dead!" He screeched.

It was quickly devised that Oz would be fighting the man with the hat; Raven would right the Harlot, and Alice the large clowny man.

"Hey… Oz, don't try to reason with a drunk, you idiot." Raven muttered tiredly, Evan nodded in agreement. "I don't like using force to resolve things. Besides this looks fun, doesn't it?" Oz said comfortingly. Alice was currently being coddled by shop keepers who were offering her meet and apples. "But still!" Raven argued. "If we lose, my hat will-!" He was cut off by Oz scolding him playfully. "Ah! Ha! Ha-! Don't worry-! Gil and I will win, two to one. And that'll be it. Plus, there's always Evan as a backup if something goes wrong." Evan snorted, "What makes you think I'll help you?" she questioned teasingly, Oz answered automatically, "Because if you don't Gil might get hurt." Evan stopped startled but Oz ignored her and raised his hand in excitement, "Yes, yes! I'm up first!" Oz plopped down at the table opposite of the sly man with the hat. Raven started sweating.

"Ha sorry but I ain't going easy on you brat." The man stated with a lecherous smirk. Oz wiggled playfully, "Oh please, kind sir. Don't be too hard on me. I'm only a little boy, just as weak as I look!" Oz reached his arm out and cocked his head to the side, his eyes darkening; "Ah… by the way mister. Just between you and me…" Oz began to mumble something that Evan and Raven couldn't hear. "Okay ready…" Called the referee. Oz slammed the man's hand into the table easily. Raven gaped in shock his eyes hidden behind his bangs while Evan burst out laughing.

"What's happened to you!" the clowny man asked in horror. "…what did you do?" Raven whispered. Oz practically glowed, "Nothing-?" Evan for an instance was reminded of Break. "Well… whatever." Raven muttered putting his hand on his forehead as if he had gotten a headache. "Want some help?" Evan joked. Raven eyed her before shaking his head. "Do your best Gil!" Oz said patting Raven on the shoulder.

"Ah! Ha! Ha! I don't mind. Let me handle this miss!" Evan, Oz, and Raven all turned simultaneously. "Uncle Oscar here… Shall elegantly rescue this damsel in distress!" Oz stood frozen in terror while Evan looked at the man curiously. He had the same blonde hair as Oz, a beard, glasses, and he was a bit plump. "What's wrong with you two?" The man asked nodding toward Raven and Oz. "Uncle Oscar!" Oz cried in surprise. Evan jumped when Raven slammed his hands on the table and sprinted away from them. "Ha-ha! There goes Gil, running off again! But you won't get away." He stated just as Raven was grasped by two men being dragged back to the table. "I… I betrayed the Vessalius Dukedom! I dare not show my face before you!" Oz looked bored.

"Geez, you've been saying that and running away the moment you lay eyes on me for the past decade!" Raven clenched his eyes shut. "No, hold on. Calm down!" Raven muttered to himself. Raven seemed to be trying to convince himself of something. "Gil… You've really grown up… I'm so happy…" Oscar said flatteringly. Raven stared in shocked, "Your kind words are wasted on me…!" Raven whispered. Suddenly Oscar slammed his arm down with a slap. Raven went over to a clearing ad sat down in anguish. Evan shook her head and tossed Aamir to the ground who grumbled angrily at the sudden change.

"Ha! Ha! Ha! So that was the best you could do, seaweed head! But fear not! I shall compensate for my servants failure!" Alice hollered triumphantly slamming her foot on the stool before sitting down. "Wh-what should we do Evan?" Oz asked worriedly, "Since I didn't think He'd lose, I didn't give any thought to Alice's match!" The clowny man grinned revealing his yellow teeth, "I'ma tell ya now, I ain't gonna show no woman mercy either." The man said sticking his hand out, "Whatever. It's time you beg for your life you bald octopus." Evan paled.

"Octopus!" the man cried indignantly, "Your existence is even more offensive than seaweed head's. Octopi are inedible after all." Alice finished as if that explained everything. "What a way to provoke him. Does she have a plan?" Evan questioned in bemusement. "No...But we are talking about Alice here." Oz answered. The fight began. They could visibly see Alice's struggle. Raven pushed past Evan grasping Oz. "Ha, ha. What happened to you huh? Well playtimes over, so… I don't want to hear you complain… even if your arm breaks okay!" The man exclaimed grinning.

Oscar turned in surprise while Raven looked at the scene in horror, while Evan watched the event quietly. "Alice!" Oz cried. "Don't… _Mess with me-!"_ Alice cried and for the briefest of instances Evan could have sworn that Alice's body had become that of the B-rabbit. With a ferociousness that only Alice could handle she slammed the clowny man's arm down on the table. The man and the audience stared eyes wide and shock written on their faces. "Hey Gil." Oz whispered. Evan turned to see what they were on about and started in surprise when she saw what Raven had done. "It was all to get my hat back. It was the only way." He replied eyes hard.

"Oz! Did you see that!" Alice asked in excitement. "I won! I won fair and square!" Oz blushed slightly at Alice's cute little smile before they both broke into a victory dance. Evan turned back toward the man holding his arm in pain. "I don't know what trick you pulled, but … you broke my arm! My arm! What are you going to do about it huh?" the man screeched at them. Alice looked at him a glint in her eye, "I was going to kill you. Consider yourself lucky you just broke an arm." She stated evilly. "Alice…" Oz began, but quickly gave up. "Whew. Boy, oh boy. I was afraid this was going to happen…" Oscar began grasping the hat off of the sly man's head. He tossed it to Raven who plopped it on his head. "Gil! Run for it!" Oscar commanded. Raven grasped Oz in his left arm and Evan in his right dashing away from the angry crowd_. "Scram B-rabbit."_ Aamir called back lazily. She glared at him. "Don't you dare… order me around!"

"Figures things turned into a mess after all." Raven muttered leaning against the wall in frustration. "Eh really? I rather enjoyed myself." Oz stated completely unfazed.  
>"Ha, ha! You two are the same as ever, huh?" Oscar said popping out from behind the wall. "Ten years later, and you've turned into even more of a dandy…" Oz exclaimed. Evan snorted. "Ah! You think so, do you?" suddenly he plopped his hand upon Oz's head. "I finally get to see you again Oz! I'm so glad you're still alive, I really am!" Oz blushed and Oscar grasped Raven's jacket. "Um please forgive me Uncle Oscar… things must've been tough 'cause of me, right?" Oz asked confused. "If you put it that way, then I'm even more at fau-! Now hang on." He pulled oz and Raven to his chest. "Here we are, together again at long last. So what are you lot going on about?" Oscar demanded. Evan turned her head suddenly uncomfortable. Aamir noticing this clung to her leg. "Both you and Gil… to me you're my two precious sons! So let me be concerned about the tow of you. Just being here with you like this…" Evan turned and walked away slowly; she looked up and noticed Alice. "Is more priceless than anything in the world."<p>

Alice was carrying a bag of apples and she stared in shock at the reunited family. She turned and started to sprint away. Evan followed gratefully; she had not wanted to stay here either. They made their way through the city finding themselves in an alley. "Damn what is this…?" Alice muttered. Evan looked surprised so she reached for Aamir and gently sifted through his fur. Suddenly Alice pivoted her whole body, "Who's there!" she exclaimed angrily. Evan looked around and spotted him easily. And she covered her mouth to stifle a giggle. "Hey. You." Alice stated. "Ah… you two noticed me?" Break asked surprised. "Oh my, to think you could see through my ninjutsu. Magnificent as always my ladies!" Break sang happily. "You don't have to come out. We can destroy you along with the wall." Alice stated pointed at him angrily. Break chuckled coming towards them. Evan set Aamir down who immediately clang onto her leg in a deliberate way to annoy her.

"I'm glad you seem to be fine. Especially you, Evan." Break said suddenly looking sidelong at her, his eyes trailing her body. Evan flushed but ignored him. "But you see… you ought to have paid closer attention to your surroundings." Suddenly a loud bring went about and Evan whirled in surprise, for it sounded like a bell. "He has been tailing you all this time, you know…?" Evan cried out in surprise when she found herself immersed in Break's embrace along with Alice. Evan blushed furiously for his robe tickled her face and she enjoyed his arms wrapping around her, Alice was there to none the less, but still. He suddenly grasped her on the head. "You mustn't leave my side you tow. Or else, the untrained kitty cat… will make you lose your way-!" Evan could hear his grin, and was a bit flustered when she felt his hand move from her head down her neck then resting firmly on her lower back.

"You're-!" Alice cried suddenly staring past Break's shoulder but was cut off by another jingle of a bell, and the voice of what Evan supposed was Emily. _"Come… come…come…. To where the Cheshire cat awaits!"_ She could feel Aamir cling to her leg tightly so in return Evan wrapped her arms around Break's chest. He chuckled, his voice suddenly dark. "Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere."


	17. Onyx

**Xerxes POV (Narrated)**

_I was never one for frivolous womanly habits. _You muse to yourself quietly; as you spool the yarn together almost whimsically. You had finished with Evan's necklace earlier and had already wrapped it around her neck delicately, enjoying the sensation of your fingers brushing her neck, at which point she shivered.

Said person was currently curled on your lap, her hair cascading down your thighs, and you quite liked it like that you had to admit. Alice and Aamir were on opposite sides of you, strewn rather carelessly on the ground. Evan stirred and you couldn't help but smile at how she childishly stretched her arms by bringing it about her head. The back of her hand bumped into your chest and she stopped, clearly a bit startled. Evan cracked an eye open and you could just faintly see her look of suspicion through her eyes before they relaxed slightly. "Oh, it's you." She stated rather bored.

You chuckle, and then notice that her hand has reached her neck and she has begun to toy with the necklace that you made just for her. "Ah yes that…" Suddenly you grin allowing your eyes to travel with purpose to her chest where the pendant rested on the simple iron chain. You pretend not to notice her blush but allow your smile to widen. "I made it just for you. It's a protective charm; the pendant is made of onyx, to help with visions…" You allow your eyes to meet hers. She peers at you most curiously and finally asks, "How long?"  
>"How long what?" You ask stupidly, quite aware of what she meant.<br>"Allow me to rephrase for the great and powerful Break…" She began sarcastically. "When did you find out about my…" You cut her off.

"I had my suspicions, you see you talk in your sleep when you have nightmares." You smile evilly. Evan's blushing again and you can't help but admire the crimson tint to her cheeks. Suddenly she glares, "And how would you know that!" She demands incredulously, you reply simply, "I happened to be doing some reading in the room next to yours… the walls are very thin…" You trail off continuing to knit the scarf, Evan glances at it before looking up at you. "Yes, but that wouldn't have been enough to find out! Did Aamir tell you? Traitorous monkey…"  
>"I have had no dealings with your chain. It was Sharon actually." You state simply. At her questioning stare you continue, "She used her chain to watch over you at the mansion through your shadows. She noted how you seemed to be focusing on something else, your eyes fog over, and the 'headaches' as you told Oz…" You both quiet down when Alice reaches up toward you.<p>

"Don't leave me behind…!" Alice whispered. You look at her silently, peering at her with your one red eye before continuing to knit. "I am right here, you know?" You state casually. Evan chuckles and you find yourself smiling just because she is. "Get away from me you boor!" Alice cried, attempting and failing at kicking you. "Come on! Look, look Alice! I knit a scarf for you!" You giggle innocently spreading your arms wide. "Give it to me. I'll choke you with it." Alice said beckoning for the scarf. Suddenly Evan interrupted, "Break, as much as I loathe interrupting this lovely conversation, I must ask, where in the abyss's name are we?"

Aamir has also awoken by now and is exploring the strange new surroundings. Alice jerks up while you pull your robe back on, a click resounds as you re-hilt your sword. Evan was currently examining a weed with a fat dolls head attached to it as it grew next to an arm tree. "I wouldn't touch that if I were you." You state appearing at her side. "It might bite." You inform seriously. She grins an infectious grin, "I'm sure my bite is far worse." You return her grin, but quickly turn back towards the task at hand.

"This is… the Cheshire cat's lair." Alice and Evan look at you questioningly while Aamir groaned in annoyance. "Do you remember? We were kidnapped by him and deposited here!" You sang suddenly taking lead and walking toward a set of stairs. "This… isn't Oz's world." Alice stated finally.  
>"No. But it isn't the abyss either!" You pivot to face Alice and Evan. "It's a closed dimension that does not belong to either world. That's why I haven't been able to touch mister kitty who lives here." You shrug playfully. "His being interested in you two was a huge help! Especially because I got to be taken captive too!" You notice how Evan is looking off to the side clearly chastising Aamir with her eyes, who was currently toying with a tea set.<p>

"Oh-hoh? So you… used us as bait to capture the cat, huh!" Alice hissed in anger at you chasing after you before she walked under the chandelier which began to sway, you were about to grab her when Evan leaped forward pushing Alice roughly out of the way. "Foolish." Evan stated quietly brushing herself off. You approached them and began to poke Evan, a question in your eyes. "Now then, Alice, Evan… just so we're clear. Mister Kitty did not invite us to a tea party… nor did he bring you here because he wants to be your friend." You pulled out your Cain and tapped it against the floor while Evan crouched defensively a growling Aamir joining her; for a band of deformed chains were currently approaching at a fast rate with hostility clearly written on their faces.

"I daresay he has only one objective, to kill you all in his own territory!" You exclaim excitedly as the chains leap at you. "No way! Why would we be his target!" Alice cried as she dodged a frog like chain attacked. "Well I've had chains attack me before, but… this particular case is new to me!" Alice informed. You laugh loudly. "Ha-ah! It's probably because of that!" Suddenly you hump into the air and whiz past Evan who is currently throwing an extremely unwilling Aamir at the maid like chain. Just as you fly past her you allow your hand to caress her hair, she jerks in shock and stares at you in surprise just before you land with a swing of your sword. The chains broke apart with ease, a sandy substance replacing them. "The fact that the intention of the abyss despises you all!"

Evan got up from her position and approached you in confusion as Alice turned towards you. "Mister Kitty is a zealous devotee of the intention of the abyss. And he's a special chain just like you two." You state simply. "You… why do you know-" suddenly you throw the scarf you had knit earlier onto Alice's neck. "It's a protective charm." Alice seemed to snap in anger and began to pull off the scarf as best as she could. "I made a necklace for Evan, be sure you both keep them on just like that. Okay?" Alice continued attacking the scarf before she seemed to be in pain. "Ah ha-ha! It will choke you if you try to take it off!" Suddenly Evan taps you on the shoulder, and she states in an almost excited voice, "It seems mister kitty has sent more minions." You nod in agreement as Evan goes over to Alice attempting to loosen your impossible knot. "Mmhmm… it'll be a little tiring fighting all of them. And so, my young ladies, pardon me!" You cry as you grab Alice and Evan by the waist hefting them up on each of your shoulders as if they were children.

"What are you doing!" Alice cried in horror, while Evan could be heard swearing in a language unfamiliar to him, but the word 'bastard' was clearly evident. "First off I'll take you somewhere that seems safe." You begin listlessly. You note the paleness of Evan's visible skin and you allow your hand to rest on it gently. Evan growled at you ruthlessly, "If you touch me again it will be the last thing you will touch. Aamir crawled after you in annoyance. "So feisty, right now you are just a powerless girl." You inform both Alice and Evan poking them in the sides. "They say it's a gentleman's duty to protect a lady."

Evan snorts, "You are anything but a gentleman…"  
>"Let me go! Why, you…" Alice began in anger before twitching abruptly and shivering. You look at her in surprise. "Alice?" Evan questions gently reaching over your head to grab Alice. You are aware of how her abdomen has to press against the side of your head in order for her to reach. You continue walking but allow yourself to enjoy the currently situation you are in. Suddenly Alice squeezes your shoulder, "They're here… here… my memories are here-!" You look at her blankly. You stop walking at the beginning of a long stair case. "That's enough. Let me down." Alice demanded. You grudgingly shrug her off while go deathly more slowly with Evan, and she knows it. She growls at you and jumps away. "Hmm. Are you alright now?" You ask not really caring about the answer.<p>

"You clowny bastard. You said the Cheshire cat, Aamir, and I are special chains. What do you know about us…?" Alice cried in anger. You smile small, "You… are both the chains of illegal contractors. But you don't eat humans, correct?"  
><em>"Where is the clown taking this conversation?"<em> Aamir muttered, you ignore him, "Have you ever thought about why that is?" You question quietly as you head of the flight of steps. "We've never wanted to eat people." Alice stated answering for both her and Aamir. "Yes. At first, I thought you were able to control your instincts because you have a personality… but then I thought…" You sigh pulling a piece of candy out of your pocket, you note Evan is watching your hand as the fingers move, and your smile increases oh so slightly. "That it's not that you don't eat humans- it's that you don't need to eat them." Alice has stopped on the steps completely while Aamir paused before continuing on.

"In the case of the Cheshire cat, he does not need a contractor. Because what's important to him is that he stays here. He has no need to come to our world." You run the candy along the staircase, causing a clanging noise. "Do you understand? Both you, Aamir and the Cheshire cat…" you drop the candy. "Exist for objectives different from other chains. That's why you three are close to the intention of the abyss. Well, that's my take anyway." Evan casually picked up a piece of candy between her fingers before unwrapping it, "And is your objective to obtain information about the "Intention" from the Cheshire cat?" She questioned placing the candy between her teeth.

"Yes. Well, besides that… there are a few things I'd like to tell him too…" You drawl pushing open the doors at the top of the stairs with a creak. Aamir and Alice entered first, while you and Evan walked in together examining the room. Suddenly Alice stopped and hugged herself. "Alice?" You question a note of interest evident.

"Because I have to know… I want to know the reason I was born!" She cried. With only a glance toward Evan you both lean down and crouch next to her, Evan places a hand on her shoulder gently shaking her. Suddenly Alice grasped her face and her eyes widened in terror, "Alice!" You cry out. Alice slaps Evans hand away violently, "_**Noooo!**_" she dashed away with an impressive speed and you clutched Evan's arm and attempted to follow her, just as your open arm was grasped by someone. You turn in surprise and face him. Your chain.

"Th…is, is!" You are vaguely aware of Evan clutching you tightly and exclaiming; "Break they found Emily! They're coming!' before you were both pulled into the mirror face first, tumbling through who knows where, while Aamir was still chasing after Alice.


	18. No choice

**Raven POV (Narrated)**

If anything had happened to her, you would kill him. No hesitation whatsoever, a bullet would be put in his head. You now officially wish you had a bottle of whiskey in your jacket, along with another cigarette… but Sharon had insisted that you mustn't…_indulge_ while discussing business. Finally in a throw of frustration you rub your forehead, "Really… that bastard. When'll he have enough of taking advantage of the people around him..!" You close your eyes as Oz puts his tea down. You open them at the clink the cup makes.

"Hey, Sharon. It's Break we're talking about. He wouldn't charge into an enemy territory without a plan, right?" You notice that he's placed Break's doll on his shoulder with a curious look on his face. "So he must've thought of a way to escape from there. I don't know what it is, but… maybe it would be possible to use that to get to them?" You glance at Sharon and notice her pleasant smile, before she nods gently. "Yes. Yes, you are right." She gets up from the table and walks over to a small clearing. "My chain is in Break's shadow at the moment. If you wish to go after those two… please… step into this portal."

As if on command; wisps of black shadows erupted from the ground, forming a circular entrance, into the Cheshire's lair no doubt. Oz gripped Emily by the arm and skipped over, "Thanks a bunch Sharon!" He sang happily. You start in angry annoyance, "Wait Oz!" You cry jumping in the way. "I can't let you go to a dangerous place like that!" Oz suddenly looks confused.

"But… I'm worried about Alice and them…" He trailed off as if you should understand that, which you don't, but none the less reply, "Then I'll go alone! You stay he-" he cuts you off with a cold stare. "I'm Alice's contractor, and Evan's friend. I have to go." You stare at him in shock.

"Besides…" Oz continues completely unfazed, "Break's probably counting on us to come after him." He states as he toys with Emily. "…What?" you question in confusion.  
>"I think he left Emily behind on purpose… so we'd come here to ask what's going on. And his giving us this clue… means he expects us to act on it…" Suddenly he pulls Emily up towards his chest and nuzzles her slightly. "In this case… I guess he's saying, '<em>you guys come quick and play too!'<em> … what do you think Sharon?" You notice Sharon's slight blush, along with Oz's heart-struck grin. She replied with a giggle, "…Well you see, I never quite understand what Break is thinking so-" Oz cuts her off with a flamboyant, "And so! I'm off. What about you Gil?"

You grasp your head in frustration mutter profanities under your breath and then sigh, "I'll come with you even if you tell me not to…!" You can't help but imagine Evan being carried by Break, and your resolve strengthens. "Yep. I figured you'd say that." Oz says giving you a closed eyed smile. You jerk towards the hole, and Oz nods in agreement, he gently places Emily on the table. "All right! Then… one, two-" You leap simultaneously, Oz giggling like a child.

…

"Oz!" You demand as you shake him roughly. He replies with a grunt of tiredness. Suddenly he lurched forward in surprise. You sigh in relief. Oz lazily grabs a stuffed rabbit off the ground before asking you in an impressed voice, "This… is where the Cheshire cat lives?" suddenly Sharon's voice erupts from Oz's shadow. _"Yes, that seems to be the case."_

Oz jumped in surprise before you threw you hand on his shoulder. _"Oh my. Pardon me, did I surprise you?"  
><em> "Sharon. Why're you in Oz's shadow? Wasn't your chain in Break's shadow?" You can practically hear Sharon's sigh. _ "Yes…it WAS… but the chain just lost sight of Break's shadow. As well as Evan's shadow. That means something has probably befallen them."_ Oz jerks at this, and you try you best not to curse. Once more, if anything has happened to her, you will put a bullet in his head. _"My chain connects shadows and creates an opening by which to travel in between them. Because I thought I lost sight of Break, I was worried you might have been transported somewhere strange… but you seem to have gotten there, so all's well that ends well…"_ A clink resounds, and both you and Oz pale. Could she really be having tea in this situation?

"_In any case, please look for those four. Well… since Break and Evan will not die that easy, look for Alice and Aamir first."_ You can't help but agree with that statement, if anything Evan was resilient, and Break was in general… a dangerous man. They would certainly be fine. Suddenly the sound of a bell caused you and Oz to twitch. Without a second thought you grasp Oz by the neck and dive out of the way just as a large object lands directly where they were standing, causing cement to go in every which direction.

Pulling out your gun you block Oz with your open hand. "It's here already!" just as a black shape whizzes in front of you. Instinctively you shoot. In total you wasted four bullets. "Tch…!" You cluck in annoyance. The black shape lands with a crash approximately ten feet away, surrounded by a pile of rubble. Keeping your gun pointed you watch as the thing twitches. "So this is… the Cheshire cat?" Oz asks in wonder.

Cheshire looks at you in a bored fashion. His long arms draped ahead of his as his tail flaps around in annoyance. "You guys… how did you get here?" As you look into his eye you nearly shoot him. His eye…no Break's eye glares at you with even more sadism than Break could ever posses. Suddenly you freeze in horror. It was a goddamn cat.

"_We will be asking the questions." _Sharon states from Oz's shadow. _"What did you do to the four you took away?"_ almost instantaneously the cat seemed to lose interest, he began to lick his clawed paw. "If you mean the red-eyed one… and that lock… they were dragged into a mirror a while ago. Held close by the arms of their past. They ought to be in a deep, deep, sleep by now…" You feel Oz growl, "Why… for what reason did you target those four!"

The Cheshire there as cocked his head and 'meowed' in the most cat like way possible. "Why…?" he asks in confusion, before his eye darkens, "That's obvious. They're the 'enemies' of the intention of the abyss! I didn't predict the red-eye and the lock would come with her… or that you two would come along too." Suddenly the cat stands up from where he was sitting, extending his claws threateningly. "If I kill you… nothing would change!" Oz cried and jumped back bumping into you, despite how much you want to move you can't. "What are we going to do, Gil…?" suddenly he looks at you and widens his eyes.

"A cat… to think it was a cat…!" you stutter hopelessly pining for the fear to leave.  
>"What… you still haven't gotten over the cat thing!" Suddenly Oz grabs your collar, "Hey… pull yourself-"<br>He is cut off when the Cheshire swipes at the two of you, he just barely pull both you and himself out of the way. You force yourself to break the terror for a moment, exclaiming, "I-I didn't hear a thing about this-!" Oz practically screams at you. "We called him the Cheshire 'cat' a whole bunch of times!" suddenly the cat rounds and lunges at you. You pull out your gun and shoot him. You pale when you see that his body regenerates without an effort. "O-of course he regenerates right away…!" You cry in terror.

"_Yes… I see…"_ Sharon mutters. Suddenly the cat leaps at Oz and you call out his name in an attempt to warn him. Your shadow as well as Oz's breaks apart swirling around in a tight circle. The cat reels back instantly. _"I will take on this chain…. With my own chain."_ Sharon commands as the shadows join into a large black menacing unicorn. The cat looks startled, "'Equus'!" he states in surprise. _"Now Oz, Raven. After those four._"

You grab Oz and pull him away at a sprint. You quickly come to a stair case where candy is littered haphazardly. "Ah, Gil! There's candy on the floor here!" you grunt as you assess the steep stairs before jogging up them. "Geez… why do we have to go through so much trouble for the four of them!" You exclaim in annoyance. "Ha-ha! I agree with you as far as Break goes!"

Looking up in surprise you see floating before you, an exact copy of Alice, except for one thing. "Alice!" Oz exclaims, but you ignore him and with a glare, shoot the false Alice in the head. Oz cries out in terror, "Wha…"  
>"Look carefully! This isn't the stupid rabbit!" you yell pointing at the body which has become twisted and disfigured, a strange grin stuck on its face. "That's one of Alice's memories, all bent out of shape." You explain.<p>

The cat suddenly jumped out of nowhere and swiped the gun out of your hand, sending it flying up the staircase, landing with a thud at the top. "The memories that are replayed here eliminate all intruders. And in the end when they swallow you whole… you'll suffer for all eternity in the thresholds of time. That's really painful… so you should just let me hunt you mice instead." The cat called from the chandelier where he was currently perched. You ignored him and ran toward the gun.

"Wait! Does that mean Alice's memories are here!" Oz exclaimed questioningly. "What are you saying? This dimension itself was… created by Alice's memories." The cat stated out of boredom. Suddenly he looked at you in curiosity before lunging. "By the way. Fellow in black there. You have a crow inside you, right? Why don't you bring it out of its cage? Cheshire feels more like eating bird… than human right now!" He cried out tauntingly. Suddenly you glare with pure hatred, throwing your arm out; a swirl of feathers began to fall down around you. "Why, you…!" You yell ready to strike, then suddenly Oz jerks in pain; you stop and look at him. The cat grabs you easily. "Oh… you're sealing the B-rabbits powers with the Raven, aren't you?" He asked showing his fangs.

"That's too bad." He suddenly raised his arm and slashed at you, effectively hitting you across the chest. "It looks like… I won't get to say hello to the Raven." Your back hits the railing and you fail to steady yourself, falling down, hearing Oz screeching your name in horror.


	19. Benedict Arnold

**Oz POV **

The cat's grip on my neck hurts… a great deal. Oh, now he's saying something… "The shreds of her memories were scattered all over your world, and this memory alone sealed itself within a shell." A shell? He's glaring at me now... his glare is worse than Break's. "Cheshire's duty is to stay here… and prevent anyone from laying eyes on Alice's memory and protect It."  
>'<em>Protect'<em>? It's getting harder to breath.  
>"Because what's here… is the memory… that Alice wanted to erase the most." Cheshire went on to explain, but I'm stuck on what he said. "She wanted to erase it…?" I ask quietly. Cheshire's looking at me like I'm an idiot. "Yes. The memory… of the day Alice lost everything."<p>

What could she have possibly lost?

I hear music… perhaps it's the lack of air… no it's the damned locket.  
>'<em>My name is… Jack. Jack Vessalius.'<em> A voice echoes gently in the back of my head, it's hauntingly familiar, but at the moment I am between a rock and a hard place, I cannot be worried with voices. I wonder if this cat wants to play a game… I could taunt him couldn't I? I wonder if Gil's alright… Focus Oz, you're not any closer to your goal.

The cat's eyes have changed, his arms have become taught, Oh I see-

I am thrown with a rather abrupt 'wham' into the wall. The cat of course is unfazed, he's licking his lips. "Hmm… I'm getting bored playing with you." He states with a yawn.  
><em>Oh are you~?<em> "…Ha-ha-ha!" I exclaim in a desperate grasp for the threads which have been dangled before my eyes.

_Like a game of cat and mouse… teasing, playing, and finally killing… huh? _ "You really are like a cat!" _It hurts to talk._ "Cheshire is a cat. Now and then." He states in confusion.

"Oh? Really." I rise on unsteady legs. _Now… what do to do? Evan would be laughing at this guy._ "Then I got to complain to your owner… for you injuring the face of his future grace, duke to be Vessalius like this!" I demand with as much assertiveness as I can muster. _Fortunately no bones seem to be broken, but without either Gil or Alice around… what should I do-_

"You sure are a strange human." Cheshire states.  
>"Huh…?" I ask looking up at him, and am suddenly made aware of how he has coiled up like a spring, and now he has pounced. I jump out of the way breathing heavily, the pain in my side begging me to stop. "You're still smiling like everything's fine, even after I've hurt you so much. Even though you're the one getting hurt… you somehow seem indifferent." Cheshire explains with an interest of apathy.<p>

I stagger back, and bang into a mirror. _Well, I don't care what happens to me, but… I want Gil, Evan and Alice at least to be safe… Aamir too I suppose…_

My breathing has increased in labor and now the Cheshire is saying something again.

"Even though you and the lock are definitely here… neither of you are anywhere."

_My heart is ringing through my ears… and my through is clenched tightly, what is this?  
>"Say, Oz, Evan… where in the worlds are you…?"<em> _Break's statement apparently holds more weight than me and Evan had originally thought._ Suddenly Cheshire pounced at me the same twisted grin as the rest of the warped memories. But thankfully he was interrupted when a protruding hand shot out of the mirror directly next to my head. The cat stopped instantaneously, slamming his hand rather comically in the wall to prevent himself from landing on me. He jumps back in surprise. The arm locks around my neck. "You're-!"

"_**Naughty Cheshire.**_" That voice was vaguely familiar. _**"You mustn't kill this child. Who will be hurt most if you kill this boy… think it through carefully in that head of yours, okay…?**_" The man's begun to drag me into the mirror with him. "Wait…" I'm not quite sure if it was me or the cat that said it.

Suddenly a crack resonated around the room, and Cheshire turned with a knowing fear toward the sound. _**"…that's right. Shouldn't you be more concerned… about your 2 other guests…?"**_ He asked before he dragged me completely through the mirror, into a bright light of greenery and ruins.

….

**Cheshire POV**

_The red eyed man is enough to fear… but with the lock by his side… they will be the death of me._

My steps are grim as I walk through the mirror; closer and closer to where I know they lay, asleep, curled together comfortably underneath that tree. _Why can I not stop this terribly feeling… as if I know the outcome, but still I march? Oh. That's right, because… I strive for the one I love the most. I crave to be known as the lone knight._

Suddenly I am in an opening of green grass, a girl rushes past me. _This is… the world created by that man Break's memories…?_ The girl runs forward calling for her mother, you note the marble gazebo near where the Break and the Lock, the girl are currently being cradled by an older woman. The child is now at the foot of the tree looking at the man, "Big brother!" She cries gaily. I follow and stand at the foot of the tree with them.

"_**Not to worry. Right now he only has two guests on his mind. He took the trouble of summoning those four here but didn't try to lay a hand on them himself. Do you understand why that is? Cheshire was frightened… of getting close to them… of being obliterated… by that power! Even so, he cannot keep hiding. If nothing else in this dimension can kill them, he has no choice but to do it himself… Hmm… he probably wanted to be that? He who eternally protects the one who is dearest to him… the lone knight-!"  
><strong>_  
>I have raised my arm, aiming for their heads. And I am poised to strike. I will not miss.<p>

…

**Narrator's POV**

Evan pushed her head closer to the chest that currently held her close. She felt herself freeze when the chest grumbled with an amused chuckle. Evan was about to move when suddenly the arms of her captor brought her into a tight embrace, keeping her from moving. "I would suggest against making unnecessary movements or noises, or else, the untrained kitty cat will most certainly know that we are not really sleeping." The hatter whispered into her hair.

"Who-?" Evan began before being cut off by a finger dashing to her lips, "You know who I am." He interrupted pleasantly. Evan opened her eyes in surprise, and found herself nose to nose with a bandaged Break.

"Oh thank god…" Evan began to squirm out of his hold, but Break held tight. "How did we get here? I thought we went through a mirror…" She trailed off, looking toward Break for answers, and then she noticed the bandage. "What happened?" She questioned seriously, attempting to touch the bandage before Break grasped her fingers.

"This is the world created by Break's- My, memories. The cat will be upon us soon, so I suggest we take to pretending to sleep. But do be ready to strike; I would absolutely loathe it if you died." He then closed his eyes in mock sleep, allowing his chest to rise and fall slowly. Evan followed suit quietly with little complaint. After a moment of silence she decided to ask a question, "Hey Break?" She whispered.

"I'm afraid I can't hear you, you'll have to come closer." She could hear the grin in his voice. She grudgingly scooted toward him, her knees bumping into his thighs. "You're not really Break are you?" She asked after a moment, "I mean… You are but… somehow you're not…" After a brief pause, he replied with an air of indifference.

"I am what I am, nothing more and nothing less, although I am Break, in my own twisted way."

Evan nodded slowly and was about to say something else when she heard the jingle of a bell. She shut up instantly, and feigned sleep. Break gently snaked his arm around her waist. Evan stiffened before relaxing slightly. She could hear the cat's breathing, and vaguely remembered Break telling her to be ready to strike. Without Aamir here, she felt a bit at a loss, but quickly clenched her hidden fist.

Instantly she felt Break sit up, a sword in his hand. And the cat's arm removed from his body.

"Ah…?" the cat muttered in shock. Break pointed the sword menacingly at him, "You're finally here, hm? You stupid cat." The cat became angry but recovered slowly, Evan jumped and attached herself to his other arm, and she bit down hard.

"You were… awake!" The Cheshire cat cried out in horror, attempting to jerk away from Evan. While he was distracted with her teeth, Break stepped on his scarf like clothes. He began to laugh. "Because unless we got caught on purpose… the cowardly kitty cat would… never have dared to appear before us, right…?" Break questioned throwing his head up, revealing his red eye, a smile on his face. Suddenly Evan dropped off of the cat, aware of what Break was about to do.

He swung, easily slicing off another part of the wretched cat. Just as the Cheshire cat skidded to a halt, Break kicked him in the chest. He held him down easily with his foot. "In any case, you've got absolutely no manners. Leaving your guests un attended for so long." Evan stood behind him, her glare piercing the cat like knives. Break grasped the Cheshire's arm bringing it to his face. "Shall I teach you your place… by carving it directly into your flesh…?" 

"I've got a knife if you want it." Evan offered seriously. Break smiled at her, "We may need that yet…" Noting the look of terror on the cats face, Break laughed. "Ah, don't you worry!" Suddenly the landscape around them began to crumble, and the false Sharon along with it. "In return for you showing us such a repulsively wonderful dream…" Break suddenly placed his hand over the bandage over his eye. "I should just like to… give you a little, well deserved reward-"

Evan gasped in shock at the sight of his eye; a cavernous pit with a light that seemed to peer into your very soul.

The cat squirmed in terror trying desperately to get away.

"Mad Hatter!" He screeched. What seemed like a large hat with an eye sticking out appeared behind Break, no …Mad Hatter? He tore off the bandage easily.

"_Now. It is time for your punishment_."


	20. Bloodied

_Only you can find the B-Rabbit!_ Jack's voice rang through Oz's head, chiming gently as he rushed forward through the dark hallway, toward the door illuminated by light. _Where are you…Alice!_ Oz thought in terror as he jerked his head up at a sudden waft of scent. _What…is this smell? I can smell smoke and…and something else? _

He stopped running when a waft of air blew past him, forcing him to stagger back, covering his face in a feeble attempt to hide from the debris that came flying. Peering out from behind his arms he was met with quite the gruesome sight. Bodies lay scattered about, each one surrounded in its own pool of blood. Quite a few bodies had been mutilated, tongues cut off and eyes gauged out. Oz Vessalius stared in horror.

"What the heck…is this!" He cried finally.

"…_So you ended up here in the end, just as I thought you would… what a relief. My voice is getting through to you, right, Oz?" _a voice in the back of Oz's head asked calmly. The voice then continued in a factually tone; _"You are now in Sablier… which is known to you as the former capital. It is also… the city that was dropped into the abyss by the hands of the Baskervilles." _The voice finished with a slight air of interest, Oz held his head in a confused daze.

"No way… then that means… I'm standing in the tragedy of Sablier from a hundred years ago!" Oz exclaimed in disbelief. "But I… learned that a huge earthquake caused that…" He began only to be laughed at.

"_Ha-ha-ha, so that's how they covered it up, huh?"_ The voice said very little amusement in his voice.

"Why… am I here?" Oz gagged when he saw a particularly disfigured corpse, with its lips cut off, and left eye bleeding profusely. The voice answered in an apathetic understanding voice, _"Have you forgotten? Alice's memories created this dimension, right? It's warped in places… and here and there, it's swallowed up the feelings of others who were present. But… she was definitely here… on that day one hundred years ago… at this castle, which would become the heart of that tragedy…!"_

Oz was suddenly recalled of what the Cheshire cat had said earlier, about how this was 'the memory Alice had wanted to erase the most…' Oz's eyes widened. _You're kidding…this is what he meant? Back then, Alice saw… something like this…?_

Oz dashed blindly down the hall, his jaw set. "Dammit!" his foot splashed in a puddle of blood. _I've got… I've got to find her quick!_ "Alice!" He called out, his voice echoing down the blood splattered hallways.

….

Raven cocked the gun, with his eyes covered by his black bangs and a grim look on his face. Jack looked at him with a cold gaze, but no shock, no sadness or terror flitted across his face. Raven shook gently as he held on to his side. "Let's get back to where we left off…" Jack began when Raven said nothing. Raven interrupted him, "Take me to Oz… Right now!"

Jack's face held a gentle amount of surprise, before he chuckled. "I never thought the day would come when you'd be pointing a gun at me…" Jack said smiling; he grasped himself in a hug and stepped forward. Raven looked at him strangely. "Go on." Jack whispered. "Take your shot."

Raven seemed to visibly panic when Jack had pressed his head up against the barrel. Jack remained smiling. Raven stared at him in shock as Jack only smiled sadly. Raven's hand shook slightly. Jack chuckled, "Say…Gilbert." Jack reached up and touched Raven's cheek, while pointing the gun over his head. "Have you really…forgotten?" Raven's eyes widened in sudden terror. "About me… and that day… have you honestly forgotten it all?" Jack asked quietly, gently edging Raven on.

…..

_**Oz POV**_

_No matter how far I go, all I see are corpses… the smell of blood is making me sick…_  
>I lean against a pillar covering my mouth in an attempt to hold back the bile that aches to be released. Looking up I see more bodies that litter the floors, but that's not what surprises me, the fact that a child is there walking with a trembling body. "…I….I'm not…a…bad…boy. This… isn't my fault…" He's begun crying, and I can't help but stare at the child. Suddenly he turns towards me, blood splashed across his clothes, dampening his hair. Tears are streaming down his cheeks and he's staring at the bodies. I jump back when I look at his eyes.<p>

_Odd eyes… of gold and wine red!_

My heart pounds in my ears, and I know why. He looks like Vincent, but I try to convince myself otherwise. _No… there's no way that could be. Because this memory is a hundred years old…_

Suddenly the child has fallen flat, almost landing with a splat. He sits up and stares at the bodies that have seemed to appear before him, and he stares at his reflection in the blood. "I-! I didn't do anything wrong… I…just… just! Just for Gil!" the boy cries into his hands.

Needless to say I've jumped back in horror. _Then…he's really Vincent?_

Suddenly Vincent started to laugh, it was a dark chuckle at first, and then it became more manic. "Yes, that's right! I didn't do anything~ wrong… Because these are all dollies." My shock and disgust is only strengthened when he reaches down to the body of a woman and dips his hands in her wounds, still laughing. "How terrible… poor thing. Who did this… to you?" The blood has yet to congeal and has begun to drip down his hands onto the ground. Out of his hands fall the woman's entrails and a disconnected eye.

"Shall I tell you?" Now the boy is smiling insanely, and I cover my mouth to prevent from spilling my own insides onto the floor. "It's him… it's all because of him!" and suddenly the boy is waving his hands in the air dramatically, his mouth shaped into a twisted grin. "The sky…the earth…and me! We're all dyed red!" The boy has turned to the side and has picked up a pair of scissors. "This too is all… because of him!" He cry's as he raises his hand poised to slam it into a woman's corpses skull. It is all I can do to force myself forward arm outstretched; "Stop!" I cry, but before my eyes the boy fades away and I land with an audible splash into blood.

"Ugh." My terror is only strengthened when I choke on my own voice, causing me to land into a violent coughing fit. _  
>"Calm down… calm down, Oz Vessalius." <em>The voice whispers reassuringly.  
><em>What if… that boy really was Vincent?<em> I wonder, and as I wonder the boy has appeared once again, a few meters away, instantly I jump up. "Hey! Wait!" I yell after him as he giggles madly.

_Then he too… Gil too… is someone from a hundred years ago just the same?_

The boy's run down the stairs and I lunge forward attempting to slam into his back, but his thin air when he is no longer there. Confused, I turn to see the boy leaving through a different hallway. "Why you-!" I yelp as he continues on, completely oblivious of my pursuit.

_What am I saying…that's impossib-_.

Then I finally understand what I should have realized sooner. I slam my fist into the wall violently, ignoring the pain that comes from the action. "Yes. What _am_ I saying?" _Aren't I exactly the same!_

"I came from the past… Skipping over ten years of time…"

'_The abyss is a dimension where time is out of order. Even if you manage to escape there's no guarantee you'll make it back to your time.'_

_The tragedy of Sablier a hundred years ago…_

_**The capital Sablier, said to have been cast into the abyss by the Baskervilles. Then fifteen years ago… Gil was discovered at the Vessalius manor badly wounded, and Vincent was discovered in a similar state and taken in by the Nightray family.**_

_What if Gil was here? What if he was sucked into the abyss together with the city… but somehow managed to escape!_ I think desperately attempting to grasp answers. Suddenly the laughter has commenced once more, and up above me, swinging his legs from the balcony, sits the blood splattered boy, a cruel smile on his face as he eyes me while licking his fingers of the blood which coats them.

_It's not impossible… Gil being here… wouldn't be strange at all!_


	21. Born for this

"I don't want to remember anything!" Gil cried his eyes squeezed tightly shut as he jerked back, visions of bloodied limbs floating about in his head. He cringed as his head began to sting. Gil stepped forward in an attempt to steady himself, but he fell down to his knees with a grunt. Jack looked at him in pitying care.

"Yes, you're right… of course you wouldn't want to remember… forgive me Gil… I'm sorry." Jack crouched down and placed his hand on Gil's cheek in an attempt to comfort him. Gil scrunched his face questioningly as he began to teeter slightly.  
>"You don't have to remember." Jack stated thoughtfully after a moment.<p>

_Yea… I know this guy… I do know him. But why-_

Gil teetered entirely with a faint and fell to the side, being caught easily by Jack.

"Because the events of those hundred years ago… left you…and Alice with grave wounds that will never heal." Jack finished up quietly, allowing his eyes to fall back to Oz and watch what he watched, to allow himself to face that which he did not want to.

…..

**Oz POV**

The pillars around me shook, and cracked littering the floors with debris.

_Is this an earthquake!_ I thought in surprise. And as if the fates desired to watch me scramble, the ceiling above me began to crumble. With an inaudible scream and a great deal of terror I jumped out of the way, barely missing the tumble of rocks.

"Ow."

At the sound of the boy's- Vincent's laughter, my head snaps up in anger, "Why you little- would you stop with the floating around and appearing and disappearing!" I cry out clearly irritated. They boy continued laughing as he turned away dashing off. I instantly gave chase.

_Hold on… what am I doing? I've got to look for Alice…_ "But I feel like… I have to after him…" I finish the sentence out loud on accident.  
>"<em>Then go ahead."<em> Jack says. I rear back in surprise and nearly stop running, but continue on regardless. "_Don't think too hard. Follow your instincts. If you do that, your body will naturally lead you to Alice."_

I scoff in distasteful amusement. "Ha-ha! What the heck. That's really something else. Is that what you call fate…? I don't believe in stuff like that."  
>There's a thoughtful pause before Jack answers with a simple; "…<em>No. This is inevitable. Because you are 'Oz' and Alice is the 'B-rabbit.' You cannot sever nor break the chain's that bind you together."<em>

I stare forward in a confused silence as I continue to run after Vincent, who has now led me to the entrance of a tower. _I don't get a word he's saying. Anyway…what's this feeling? I've had this sense of unease for a while now…_

Vincent's faded again, leaving me to stare up some stairs that seem familiar. _I know this place…?_

"…_Oz. What's waiting up ahead… will probably be very hard on you, but..." _Jack begins as if he's trying to place his words correctly. **"Oz…"**

In surprise my eyes widen, "Alice's voice!" I start for the stairs, going up two at a time. "Alice, are you up there!"

"_Still… This is something you must know… so you can continue being with Alice." _

Hardly listening to anything he's saying, or the warning that tints his voice I'm nearly at the entrance to a room. Smiling like a fool I break through and call out; "Alice!" I'm interrupted by a 'whack.'

I'm still smiling when I catch sight of her, but it immediately disappears when her blood has sprayed the air, and her body has begun to fall, and finally land with a thud.

At first I stare blandly at the body, the clock ticks quietly in the background. Alice's blood seeps forward sharply in all directions. Staring at her blank dead eyes, I whisper; "A…lice?" My back hits the wall behind me leaning for support.

"_Up till then… she was human."_ Jack voice buzzes in the back of the head as I slide down the wall, my body slumping on the floor. _"On that day a hundred years ago… at this very place_…" I catch sight of the bloodied scissors lying next to her corpse, the murder weapon. _"Until the very moment she was killed."_

…_._

_Alice died. A hundred years ago in this place. She died as a human. By someone's hand… she was murdered._ This realization his Oz quite suddenly as I'm sure you can imagine. And as I'm sure you know his heart had gone up his throat as yet another realization hit him: She was murdered.

Oz's body and mind was so shaken by this that the tremors could be felt by all Raven, Break and of course Evan. Speaking of which, Raven was shaken awake, while Break and Evan were brought into awareness by the crack's caused by his horror. Break momentarily pulled away from Cheshire as did Evan who gaped at the damage being done to the already twisted dimension. And apparently they weren't the only one's surprised because the Cheshire cat gasped, "The dimension… is cracking!"

_This is… Oz?  
>…..<em>

"_OZ…? What's wrong Oz?" _Jack asked in surprise as Oz began to fold out onto the floor, making pained grunting sounds. Oz gripped his chest at the same time Evan did, each one hearing their own heart beats, as they felt the familiar yet painful sensation course through their bodies.

_My chest feels tight! Right. This sensation…I've felt it before too-_

The hatter, or Break for that matter… stared at the cracks for a moment longer before looking at the semi-crumple Evan, who was clearly trying not to show her pain. "It's turning forward then hmm… the need… or their incuses!"

The incuse clicked forward one more notch. Oz threw his arms to the ground, causing the floor around him to shatter into multiple cracks. _"Oz!"_

_Alice is… calling… Alice._

_Aamir…I hear you… _

Oz stood up shakily as the false Alice's body dispersed into sand.  
><em>"Yes. You're someone special to me. If I'm suffering, if someone's hurting me…then won't you please come save me…?" <em>Oz grasped his arm and stared wide eyed at the ground.

…..

Raven's hand twitched violently, he stared at it in wonder. "What-!" _  
>The Raven's seal…on my left hand is-!<em> His thoughts were interrupted by an ever jovial Jack.  
>"Whoo… what a pickle. It looks like that scene was too much for Oz to handle…and the shock is making the B-rabbit's powers go berserk." He squeezed himself into a hug slightly. Raven looked up at him surprise etched across his face. "What…are you saying? I haven't released the B-rabbit's powers."<p>

Jack smile showed his amusement at Raven's innocence. "That seal… the day will come when Oz will no longer have need of it. Still, the current situation is far from ideal." Jack turned from him for a moment, chuckling softly under his breath before turning back with sudden sadness. "The way things are, Oz's body will be subject to a great, burden you see? And so, Gilbert…" The distinct sound of a cracking world was evident as Jack placed his finger tips upon Raven's forehead. "We can't afford to have you rest here anymore… simply because you're wounded." Jack's hand began to glow as did Raven himself. "Go now and stop Oz. He is… your dear master, isn't he…?"  
>….. The cracking of the walls and ceiling of the dimension around Evan were clearly breaking faster than ever. She jumped back as Break and Cheshire flew apart. She shakily pulled out the knife that she had offered Break earlier. For the hatter had disappeared and in his place, Break stood. "Ha-ha! You still have energy to move about so, eh?" Suddenly Break shot Evan a smile. "Hmm. It looks like I've got my wits about me more than you, my furry friend." Break sang happily.<p>

Cheshire clawed the ground in anger. "Cheshire doesn't have the time to play with you two anymore!" Evan smirked, "You're so cold hearted." Break nodded in agreement and said with childish malice, "Let's be friends for a little while longer."  
>Cheshire opened his mouth and cried out in anger. "Cheshire…will go kill that blond. He's trying to take apart this dimension!"<p>

_That blond…? Then the one using his power now is Oz, hmm?_ Break mused to himself quietly as he approached the cat slowly, cracks forming around where he stepped, as Evan followed silently behind him, muttering something along the lines of; Oz you idiot.

"You, the lock, the B-rabbit, Raven…that stupid monkey…. Cheshire will kill you all!"

_Part of the dimension is turning to sand under its influence… So… it's the same then… the B-rabbits ability and that of this mad hatter-_

"Cheshire exists only for her sake… and for her sake will you all die!" Cheshire cried as he sprung, claw outstretched toward them. Break chuckled, jumping out of the way easily, while Evan rolled to the side. "'For her sake' this, 'for her sake that'... You're a cat… but here you are, saying the same pathetic nonsense as that sewer rat!" Break exclaimed, a smirk on his lips.

Break unsheathed his cane, pulling out a glimmering blade. "Let me share a little something with you. You see, I… find irresponsible words like 'for her sake'… to be utterly detestable!" Break jumped aiming directly for the cat who stared in surprise while Evan ran from behind toward the back of the cat. Needless to say, there was a very loud 'wham'.


	22. None to little

"Stop it with the B-rabbit's powers! Or else… your body will-!" Gil was interrupted by Oz's silent mutter.  
>"It… I'm going to destroy it."<br>Gil held onto Oz's shoulders in pausing, staring in disbelief at the young boy with the manic expression. "Everything Alice wanted to forget….I'm going to destroy it all….I can…hear a voice…Alice's voice." Oz trailed off, leaving Gil's grasp without even trying. He pulled his hands to his ears as if trying to hear better.

_What is it you're afraid of? I'll destroy whatever it is for you. Anything and everything that makes Alice sad…or hurts you, I'll destroy it all. So smile, okay Alice? My precious Alice!_ Oz's thought vigorously trying to comfort the voice.

_I'm scared._ It replied; _That I'm not human, that I'm different from other chains. That there are things I don't know. That I'll end up knowing things that I don't want to know. More than anything else…I'm always…scared of myself._ Alice's voice confessed quietly.

Oz slammed his hand back into the wall behind him, it cracked with little effort. "Okay…then I'll destroy the very existence known as Alice!" Oz stated to the air as Gil gaped at him in shock. Oz twirled around on his feet pointing at things and making them turn to dust. "If I do that, there won't be any reason for you to suffer anymore…I'll erase you Alice!" Oz sang before a palm hit his cheek, and of course that palm belonged to a hand, and that hand belonged to an arm, and that arm belonged to Gil, who at the moment was looking worriedly at Oz, who was only just regaining his senses.  
>"Gil…?" Oz asked in confusion. Gil tightened his fist, before leaning in and grabbing Oz by the shoulders. "Tell me…what did you come here to do huh!" He continued to shake Oz. "Spit it out! Oz! You…no, we came here for that stupid rabbit, we came here for Evan-! We came here to rescue them didn't we!" Gil cried shoving Oz once more for good measure, his face a mixture of angry pleading.<p>

Oz stared about him for a moment, before his eyes widened at the cracks and crumbles that he had clearly caused. Suddenly Oz grabbed Raven's jacket for support. "Did…I do this…?" He gripped Gil tightly falling to the floor, "No that isn't right…I don't want Alice to disappear…" Suddenly Jack's voice interrupted them.

"_Phew…somehow it seems you made it just in time, Gilbert. Alice… is hanging on by a thread…"_ IN front of them appeared a stair case, and at the top of the stair case rested Alice, in the embrace of the contorted dolls and along with her, wrapped tightly in the shadows; was Aamir, struggling violently. Alice's head hung to the side as she slept. "Alice!" Oz cried out in horror. Suddenly he started to run up the stairs. "No way! I'd never think such a thing!" He said as he jogged up and up. And finally Alice hung suspended above him, so he began. "Alice…. I don't know what you were like when you were human. But I do know what Alice is like now! You've got a short temper, a bad habit of kick people, and a foul mouth, but… You're actually really nice and quick to cry and sometimes you're a total idiot, and you're a pig like no one would believe!" Oz dashed forward. "You're not Alice because you're human, and you're not Alice because you're a chain!" Alice began to break from the bonds that held her as did Aamir. "Your gesture and the way you think…your expressions, so that you…can show us what it means to be 'Alice' through each of those- We'll always be watching…!" Oz finished finally extending his arms out, preparing to grab her outstretch hand.

"So! Alice… you're fine just the way you are!" Oz said as he gripped her hand as Alice fell away from the chains that held her. Oz could vaguely hear her yell at him for being a useless servant just before she buried her face in his chest. While Aamir scampered over past him to where Raven watched in surprise, as he muttered something incoherent along the lines of 'What took you so long?'

_She's alive. I'm so glad_.  
>….. Evan bent next to Break her breathing hitched slightly as his blood dampened her fingers. "Oh dear…really now." Break muttered slightly annoyed as his blood dripped down plopping onto his clothing. He coughed a moment; "Not again… this happens right off every time I use my powers…" Break stopped when he heard the 'jingle' of Cheshire's bell. He and Evan looked up simultaneously; Evan's eyes darkened immediately out of anger.<p>

"Ah. You would do well not to move too much." Break stated coolly as he wiped the blood off of his hands. He got up using his sword, with Evan behind him eyeing his movements skeptically. "Otherwise, even you can end up vanishing you know?" Break chimed gently, inclining his head toward Cheshire's missing arm and leg. Cheshire breathed heavily glaring at them both. Break smiled.

"You'll understand that you can't win against me… if you just think about it a tiny bit…" Break began as his ferocious chain appeared behind him, a hat decorated with skulls and cards, a cloak wrapped around its body and one eye viciously protruding out.

"This mad hatter takes all the powers related to the abyss, and negates them…and terminates them. For it's a chain that was born to kill other chains…" Break finished with an air of pity. Evan inched towards Break a bit, hoping that she could hide within the folds of his robe, hoping to hide from the eye.  
>"Still…Cheshire will-!" Cheshire was cut short when Break interrupted him, pushing his hand into his robe. "There's no such thing as retreat for you…is that it? Well no matter." Suddenly he pulled out from his pocket a bell that Evan recognized immediately as Cheshire's. "This, which you've guarded so preciously…This is… the core that creates this dimension, yes? Alice's memories from one hundred years past…" he began to toy with it in his fingers. His eyes took on a malicious glint, "And now they're mine." Evan was about to commend him when that irritable headache returned. She gripped her head and Break took his eyes off of Cheshire for a moment in order to look at her. But in reality a moment was all it took.<p>

"_That you're such an easy pawn to control is a great help to me…Hatter."_

The Cheshire struck, except He had taken on quite a…horrendous form. Luckily for Evan, Break's not a complete idiot. He pulled her around the waist and as he pushed off away from the large demonic shape before them he leaned in close and whispered in her ear; "I suggest you pull out that knife you mentioned earlier."

Hardly able to speak she obeyed and grasped her hand around the hilt. And the battle commenced, or really, quite a bit of dodging and jumping commenced, until they were in a different place entirely.

"Gil!" Evan heard a cry and she looked about and saw that Cheshire had spotted the two chains and two humans as well and was attempting to hit them. Without a moment's hesitation she jumped and hit him squarely in the side, with a loud 'wham'. Evan hopped down and went over to Break, who was landing on the floor from jumping up from high scaffolding. "Oh I say… This cat certainly knows how to scratch and bite!" Evan laughed and replied, "What do you not like a feisty pet?" Break paused as he ran past Gil and Oz, seemingly not having heard her, "Why, good day everyone!" Break called over in his signature sing song voice. "Nice to see your still breathing!" Evan added, she winked at Raven who in return gaped at them. "To hell with your good day! It's your fault things have turned out this way…!" He ground out between his teeth. Evan crossed her eyes before smirking at Break's blatant disregard for the situation. "Yes, yes! I'll listen to all your complaints later!"

Oz peered from behind Gil, pushing past. "Is that the Cheshire cat?"  
>Said cat was currently repeating a litany of Alice's name. "Yes, though he has taken on a rather unsightly form. He probably yearned for and obtained his human shape…" Here Break gave a thoughtful smile. "Yet he threw it away of his own will. Is the intention of the abyss so dear to him?" Oz leaned forward in wonderment. Cheshire opened up his large hideous mouth; "A…Alice! Whatever makes you sad, and hurts you…Cheshire will…Cheshire will destroy it all!" Cheshire cried out, faithful to the end.<p>

"He intends to send us into oblivion with this dimension!" Break cried to them as he sprinted up the crumbling tiles. Evan turned to Raven, sheathing her blade, "Let's escape quickly using Equus!" she stated in impatience. "Say what you will but-!" He was interrupted by Oz.

"Break… wait!" Everyone stared at him needless to say, but no one more than Break, who promptly ignored it as he slammed his blade into the Cheshire's head. Break jumped away quickly as the cat's body began to contort and break apart. "Alice…Alice…Alice…Alice!" He cried over and over as the floor broke apart, pushing Oz, Alice, Aamir and Evan away from Break and Gil. Alice stared at Cheshire, whispering something that couldn't be heard. Evan and Oz turned as black wisps flitted around them. "_Equus_!" Aamir called in surprise, while Evan struggled a bit, "Gil and Break are still over there!" Oz joined in, "Please wait! Equus!" Oz called.

"**Gil! Break!**" Evan screamed in terror as the shadows wrapped around them in a tight circle sucking them down through and through.


	23. As if on que

Evan was never good with crowds. So when she found herself in front of a crowd of people, a voice in the back of her head seemed to silently shrink away muttering words of discouragement, which Evan took to heart. She rubbed her head her face heating up, then she was saved by Oz who yelled out; "Uncle Oscar!"

Evan looked up in surprise and quickly recalled the events that had only happened moments ago, she looked around spotting the man known as Oscar. As she climbed to her feet Aamir gripped onto her shirt, pulling himself up so that he could wrap his arms around her neck in an almost possessive way. "Who the hell are you!" A voice demanded from the crowd, past where Oscar stood in bewildered surprise.

In annoyance Evan was about to surprise when she noticed an exclusively large black arm to her left and right and of course, she felt her stomach hit the floor. "Damn." She stated; for that was the only fitting word she could find for the situation. Oz on the other hand was completely speechless as his gaze wandered in pure confusion around the room. Someone from the crowd seemed to recognize…*Cough* Alice… and cried out; "The B-Rabbit!"

"Hey...where are we Oz?" Alice's voice broke through the temporary madness for a moment as she loomed over the three far smaller beings beneath her.  
>"Well, I'd like to know that too- WHAT THE! WHY ARE YOU IN YOUR RABBIT FORM?" He exclaimed his voice containing an indescribable emotion, luckily Aamir answered for her. "<em>The seal containing her powers switched off, simple really. I'm guessing it was the cause of that 'Gil' person.<em>" Oz looked slightly confused before suddenly their thoughts were cut off by an older man with a beard-like goatee exclaim rather rudely, "What are you doing! Capture those intruders at once! Did you come here to kill the four great dukes…you bloody black rabbit!" He demanded his finger protruding out at them in a distasteful way. Evan was tempted to break that finger of his.

Oz seemed to freeze in a bout of realization and woke up when surrounding men wearing uniforms pulled out guns and pointed them directly at them, one of them was even brave enough to point at Aamir, who in return let out an animalistic growl. Evan picked up quickly and began searching for an exit which she spotted rather easily, considering they were fanciful large French doors.  
>"What should I do, Oz? Kill them?" Alice asked her rabbit teeth bared in an aggressive fashion, not unlike that of an aggravated dog whose food has been tampered with by an unyielding cat.<br>"No! Absolutely not! Let's just…run away for now!" He cried out in desperation; Alice let out a scoff before scooping Oz up in her left arm and Evan and Aamir in her right. "Guess there's no helping it!" She cried as they broke through the doors with a bang.

As they sped throughout hallways both Evan and Oz began to breathe hard, for their incuses were itching from the power transmitting from the B-rabbit. "Hey…you alright?" Alice asked hardly even out of breath from the incredibly fast pace she was acquiring. "Yes, we're fine." Evan answered in a breathless tone as she dared a glance up at the rabbit. Aamir was squeezed uncomfortably between the crook of Alice's oversized arm while Oz and Evan were being held in Alice's hands, although…Evan did share her spot with the B-Rabbit's infamous scythe. Suddenly Evan noted that Oz was paling as he bit his thumb in concentration.

_Think Oz Vessalius! _...

Reim was currently pacing and had been completely unaware that he was being sneaked up on. Perfect timing for a certain clown. After a feeble attempt by Reim to escape from his captor with some yelps of 'Who, and What' He was successfully dragged into a room, the door slamming behind him. He finally craned his neck enough to get a glimpse of the man who held him tightly.  
>"Xerxes Break!" Reim cried in shock. Break placed a finger to his lips in a shushing motion. Rein ignored it and looked over to where a rather bland sofa sat with a sleeping Raven lay with a blanket spread over him.<br>"Gilbert!"  
>"Ah, keep it down. I had him overdo it a little…let him rest for now." Break added as he watched the black haired man with his hand covering his eyes in a 'don't wake me' position. Reim crouched down and picked up a stray feather, he examined it uncertainly. "When you say 'overdo it'… you mean the Raven?" Break hacked for a moment a bit of blood spilling as he did, but far less than when he had originally released his powers. "In order to make it back, we had no other choice you see. Although it would have been different had Evan been there, considering what she is capable of." Reim stared at the blood on Break's hand with a similar look to Evan's when she had seen it. "You…that blood is-"<br>"It's nothing for you to worry about. More importantly-" Here Break became serious as he crouched down to join Reim.

"Please tell me what I want to know Reim. From the moment I left to the present, what's been going on at Pandora? No. First tell me, has anything happened to Lady Sharon?" His voice was grim as if he already knows the answer, but he asked the question regardless. Reim's eyebrows knitted together, "It, has not yet been made public but Sharon's whereabouts are currently unknown… two days ago, she locked herself into her room with Gilbert and his party and the next morning when the maid came calling, it seems she found the room completely empty." Reim finished uncertainly. Break stood up and untied the scarf about his neck allowing himself a bit of air. Once through with that he went over to the desk and sat on it as he had many a time, his legs crossed childishly as he examined every little speck as to pick up on every small movement.

"Though her abduction has yet to be confirmed, the duchess is secretly investigating the matter." Reim continued from his position on the floor. "That is why she feigned illness to absent herself from the conference the other day…to make up for that, the meeting was to be held today, but… when Oz, Evan, the monkey and the b-rabbit suddenly dropped into its midst…" Reim rubbed his glasses in annoyance. Break grinned as he poured himself some tea. "Ah. The B-rabbit's power came loose when we used the Raven." He said silkily, before he held his bloodied scarf to his face in a contemplative rub. Break sat up suddenly and stalked out the door. "Hey where are you going?" Reim asked, when he got no reply he jumped up and followed after him in a rush.

"I'm not done talking yet!" He cried out as he followed briskly, huffing as he trotted. "I have plenty of other things I'd like to say to you- hey, are you evening listening?" He cried as Break continued down the hall, up some stairs, and into yet another hall. He stopped at a door and opened it stopping with a widened eye at what he saw before him. "Xerxes!" Reim called, only to have the door slammed in his face behind Break.

Break leaned against the door; ignoring Reim's cry's to be allowed in. Break smirked and allowed a chuckle to escape him. "Goodness…you've really done it now!" He sang as he walked past the disarray of his quarters, books ripped in two strewn across the floor, black roses lacing the floor and table tops, curtains and bed covers ripped to shred and of course a black knight chess piece. "…What incredibly corny staging. Such flourishes were unnecessary…because I know you were behind this from the methods alone." He made his way over to his closet and inspected his unharmed uniform. He then glanced at his bloodied robe and shirt. He sighed in annoyance and shrugged out of his clothing allowing his paled skin to catch the glint of the crack through the curtains. His care chest was chilled by the contact of air and he quickly draped a new crisp shirt overtop himself.

"The fragrant perfume of black roses…I'd expect no less of those who give birth to darkness!" Break sang cruelly as he tied the straps of his Pandora uniform, buttoning up only a few notches languidly. "I'm so moved I want to vomit!" Staring at the table top covered in petals; with a glare he swiped them away, "Nightray sewer rat."  
>…..<p>

Oz clutched his chest as he stared in apprehension at the gathering crowd of Pandora operatives; needless to say Evan was struggling with a disobedient monkey who was attempting to swarm around the operatives in an attempt to kill them by sending his hornet swarm down their throats. Evan's reply was 'maybe later.'

"Th-th-those are some scary looking chains!" Oz staggered back slightly suddenly scared of the chain's that began to draw closer. "It would be easier to massacre them all right here and now." Alice stated in aggravation, Oz of course replied with a logical worry that that was completely unnecessary and would only make matters worse. Suddenly he held his head his eyes widening occasionally, Evan knew that look, she had had it many a time, in fact while they were sprinting through hallways she had briefly had an image of Break in a rather disheveled room, and then him…well that's unimportant.

"I was just desperate then…" Oz mumbled to himself.  
>"What're you mumbling about!" he asked in anger. But he didn't wait for an answer as he swiped his hand in a gesture that caused a chain to jump forward. Luckily Alice pulled them by their collars away from where the impact was. "Fools! How dare you try to take the lives of the four great dukes!"<p>

Evan smirked, "I dare say they are the fools, wouldn't you agree Aamir?" She whispered her lips gracing the fir of the capuchin. He nodded in agreement. "So like I'm trying to tell you… you've got it all wrong!"

Alice stepped forward, her body still of the Black Rabbit. "That's it! Oz has no say I this! They're all going to end up food for my scythe-" She was cut off as her body suddenly went 'pop' and she fell in her human form directly onto the ground.

"A girl? What is going on!" erupted from the crowd, but the main with a moustache would have none of it. "Do not let them fool you! Even if its looks have changed, that there is still the wicked B-rabbit!" He cried over zealously. Evan growled as he went for Oz, but she made no move to help him, she was only an interested party after all. "Restrain them at once!" At that Evan became to move toward the man who was attempting to grab Oz.

"_Don't touch me_." _That_ was definitely not Oz.


	24. Best kept secret

The man with a beard tumbled down the stairs backwards, crying out as he did. Alice stared in wonderment up at the strangely confident Oz. Evan and Aamir backed down the stair case to join Alice, a bit grudgingly if I may add, for they weren't too keen to get closer to the Pandora operatives. Oz stood up and the voice that Evan had heard once before many years ago rang through clearly. "Quiet down…servants of the four great dukes." His voice was a lucid melody of a torrent of water. Alice and Evan stared in shock before Alice finally asked; "Oz…?"  
>"There is no need for concern. This boy is not your enemy." Oz said, with a confidence no one had heard before.<br>"I am borrowing this body to talk to you…as there is something I must convey to you all." Alice would have none of that; "What, who are you!" Alice demanded with a fruitful cry, Evan put an arm on her shoulder in an attempt to calm her, and also for her own security, for she was wondering the same thing, though she was almost certain she knew who it was; no matter how many years had passed. Oz smiled at them kindly and almost lovingly before he turned back to the crowd.

"My name is…Jack." Here he placed a hand on his chest. He then dramatically spread his arms wide, "I, who crossed swords with the Baskervilles. And stood as witness to the tragedy of Sablier with my very own eyes- I am Jack Vessalius!" He declared a prominent tone to his voice. Evan hid behind Aamir and looked at her feet; she knew exactly who he was.

The crowd gasped at him in horrified realization, and out of an opening Raven slumped in.  
>"The legend of a hundred years ago… That hero!" Raven questioned along with the rest of the uncertain crowd. Jack smiled sadly at their exclamations.<p>

Evan could feel a gentle vibration and she looked down to her chest to where Aamir was cradling the Onyx that Break had given her. She gently touched it and immediately the pounding hit her and she found herself watching a scene play out between Break and Vincent.

"_I thank you for that bit of genius interior decoration in my quarters. Vincent." Break said cocking his head to the left with a forced closed eyed smile.  
>"Ah did you find it to your liking?" Vincent asked as he toyed with a pair of scissors. Break chuckled darkling. "Well of course. So much so I felt the bile rise in my gut!" With sudden seriousness, Break strode forward a hand resting on his hip as his feet clicked along the cobbled garden path. "Now…beating around the bush is much too tiresome, so let's get right to it, shall we? Fortunately all of Pandora is focused on Oz and company at this moment, so…" And here Vincent snipped a black rose off of a bush and allowed it to fall directly down, to scatter with the others. "Vincent Nightray, return my lady immediately." Break stated a glare of patronization etched clearly on his handsome features. <em>

"_Don't make such a scary face. It's not like I've killed her or anything…" Vincent began to rise from his seat. "But you see, I'm just dying to get my hands on this one little…__**thing.**__" Break's hand remained near his sword. "Huh?" suddenly he looked disgusted. "I beg pardon; it's not my hobby to carry around anything that would be of interest to you." _

_Vincent grinned, hand behind his back giggling as he approached Break, "Liar…you're such a liar Mr. Hatter." Suddenly Vincent lunged and grasped onto Breaks left arm. "You do indeed have something I want. That which you stole from the Cheshire cat-Alice's memories!" A jingle resonated as Vincent began to fold up the sleeve revealing a bell wrapped tightly to his arm._

"_The truth of a hundred years ago…which you desired more than anything else and your beloved young lady." The look Break gave him was of such hatred… "I think it's time we made a trade…don't you think Hatter?" _

_Filthy sewer rat…  
>…<em>

**Reim (POV)**

It's a strange sensation. Knowing the body in front of you is definitely someone else, the Oz that we all knew…even so we, no…all who were there was struck dumb. And couldn't bring themselves to move before the presence that was _deep within Oz._  
>"I apologize for confusing everyone. But even if you can only spare me a few minutes, won't you hear me out?" The man who resided within Oz asked, not unkindly.<p>

I recall his clear voice, unclouded eyes…though he should be no different from the boy who was just standing there…his presence is daunting! Daunting? No, no, it isn't anything as oppressive as that… rather this is-  
>"Just as I mention…there is something I must convey to you all…so that the tragedy of Sablier is not left to take place on this land a second time around!" Everyone jumped at this, murmurings ringing through the crowds. Jack continued completely undeterred, "As you all know, I once confronted Glen Baskerville the head of the Baskerville family." He took a step forward. "Now, I who faced him then…declare thus here-Glen Baskerville yet lives! And he shall bring calamity upon this land once more!"<p>

I know I shouldn't be distracted but that girl…Evan was it? She seems as if she's not even here, she just looking at the air in confusion and she seems to have a headache. She's back it seems and is once more engrossed in the scene enfolding.

Everyone cries out in shock and horror, and finally a man yells out in confrontation, "You lie! The head of the Baskervilles is alive! How utterly absurd-" He and any other doubts are broken away by the look that emits from Oz, a glare from Jack himself!

Yes…he does not daunt us. To use a metaphor, he is like clear 'water'. With his transparent gaze…he flows into our hearts like a cascade…and it feels like he sees through everything…!

"Your disbelief is to be expected, I suppose." Oz finally replies, but continues to take a step forward. "However, it is the truth. As I believe you are already aware the Baskervilles objective is to obtain the intention of the abyss. And to that end they did offer up a sacrifice to the abyss…in the form of the mass annihilation of Sablier." He has begun to walk down the steps.  
>"That was why…the tragedy occurred?" someone cries out in horror.<p>

"At the cost of many precious lives we prevented them from achieving their goal and…the Baskervilles disappeared after they lost Glen."

I can not merely remain silent and so I speak up, "But after a hundred years the Baskervilles broke their silence, at Oz's coming of age ceremony!" I finished for him and was rewarded with a smile from Oz.  
>"Yes that's right… this young man is Oz Vessalius! The Baskervilles dropped him into the abyss ten years ago but he returned to this land on his own strength. He is the child of miracles!" I finish passionately pointing toward Oz as the crowd begins its constant murmuring once more.<p>

"That right… speaking of Oz Vessalius, it was he who moved _that_ 'silent clock tower' during his coming of age ceremony!"  
>"As in the clock tower mentioned in the prophecy?" Someone cries out as Oz passes Alice, the monkey and Evan.<p>

"The prophecy…'when the one whom we await descends upon the Promised Land…the bell will toll to break the silence. The blade of a friend glitters crimson and the drops carve a path to a distance place.'" Jack answered the question that hung in the air as he approached Raven, arm outstretched. "Gilbert. Are you alright? Did you remember something unpleasant?" suddenly he's begun to ruffle Raven's hair as one would ruffle a child's.

He's begun to laugh and now he's turned toward those three. "Hey you come over here too." He commands gently. They walk forward and at Alice's face he says; "Try not to make such a sad face okay?" Suddenly Alice scrunches her face up, "you're- the one from inside my memories-" She is cut off when Oz looks at them in a kind way and tells them a small poem.

"You are each pure hearted and lovely, and you have never done a moment's wrong. But you are living creatures. Born to make real life's, however it cracks your hearts. Oh, it looks like I'm running out of time. You who serve the four great dukes. Let me say this again." He's outstretched his arm and is pointing at us all without pointing at a single one of us. "Glen Baskerville is alive. And you can be certain that the Baskervilles will be seeking out their master as well as Pandora's four doors. And they shall once again bring about the tragedy of Sablier upon this land!" All of us flinch and clutch ourselves. I find I cannot stop shivering, the girl, Evan, is holding herself as well.

"However, my soul is always with this boy. He shall guide you and eventually become the key to defeating the Baskervilles."

_He is infinitely transparent. Yet his presence stirs us!_  
>"Protect Oz Vessalius at all costs." <em><br>Yes just like a limpid stream!_  
>"You the noble knights who serve the four great dukes…"<br>_This is not fear. _  
>"This is your duty!"<em><br>It is pure awe!_

All Pandora operatives fall to their knees in a servitor bow, but what truly shocks me, is that Evan is bowing as well. "I thank all of you…" Jack trails off before Oz faints, and Evan, Alice, Raven and the monkey are there to catch him…..  
>….<p>

Raven and Alice are asleep at the foot of the bed in which Oz sleeps, and Evan is leaning against the wall watching Oz with a most respectful gaze, and when he leaped up his breathing hitched, she immediately diverted her gaze; she didn't want to be caught staring.

"I see you've woken." She stated rather blandly. He looked up at her in surprise and then down at Raven and Alice. Alice was drooling cutely while Raven had curled his fingers in the sheet and was breathing steadily. "So they made it out alright, Gil and Break that is?" He asked reaching for Raven's head as if to wake him, but he pulled back at the last moment.

Evan nodded for a moment before she pointed toward a closet, "There's some clothes for you to wear, sorry if they're big, we didn't want to wake you… it's sort of a uniform looking thing, like I'm wearing, if that's alright with you." Oz nodded and stretched but was interrupted by a tapping on the window, Evan and Oz looked out it in surprise. "Break? What the-" Evan was interrupted by his childish greeting of 'yoo-hoo!' She sighed and opened the window allowing the foolish man into the room.

He grinned at her outfit, similar to the Pandora official's just without all the extra adornments. She had also allowed some of the buttons to not do their duty so that the shirt fit loosely about her shoulders and only a humble amount of skin showed, for it was a bit breezy today. Break held out a white jacket to Oz and said quite simply, "What do you two say? Shall we have a spot of tea together?" Evan sighed and looked to Oz for confirmation, he in return nodded uncertainly.

Oz crawled out of the bed as best he could without disturbing Raven and Alice, and quickly pulled on the jacket over his sleep-shirt, and he seemed to only be wearing slippers. As quiet as they could they crept out to the balcony where Break had set up many pieces of cake and a pot of tea.

"I must first apologize to you both, hm?" Break asked as he guided Evan to a chair to his left and Oz's right. When Break received confused glances from both Oz and Evan he elaborated, "Y'know… for dragging you into this outrageous affair. So for that… I apologize Lady Blantern and Lord Vessalius." Almost instantly Evan had a hand on his forehead while Oz had a hand on his wrist checking his pulse. "What wrong with you Break? Saying sorry is weird, you do realize? Ah…is it menopause?" Oz asked in a mocking tone. Break smirked in a playful fashion. "Really you are such rude brats." Evan giggled in appreciation at the new nickname.

"I mean you're always dragging us into things, Break." Evan said after a moment as she looked to the side to see a pampered Aamir climb up from the side of the balcony to join them. "Well true, but…it's just that how do I put it this time…" He picked up the kettle and smiled grimly. "I can't forgive myself for losing the fruit of my labor at the very end." Evan looked at him in question.  
>"The fruits?" She asked quietly.<p>

"Yes." He stated without hesitation.  
>"When Alice, Evan and Aamir were kidnapped, you accompanied them by force didn't you? What did you want with the Cheshire cat?" Oz asks finally. Break rests his face against the back of his hand as he stares seriously at them. "I tried to obtain the truth of what happened a hundred years ago." He says after a moment. Evan has coughed up some of her tea and is currently trying to rid her system of the taste, not of the tea, but something quite different. And Oz as well has begun to cough up his tea, but for a different reason entirely. "Are you all right Oz, Evan?" Break asked sticking a fork in a piece of cake and bringing it to his mouth.<p>

"Fine." Evan gasps out as she rids herself of the blasted tea.  
>"So…you did see something after all, huh?" Oz stops and looks up. Evan decides that now is a good time to stuff cake in her mouth, and she does just that. "Come now, Oz, Evan. Surely you must already know that I didn't extend this invitation solely for the purpose of having a tea party?" Evan swallows at the malicious tone in his voice, "Let's trade information." He toys with the fork in between his teeth. "If you'll each provide me with your findings from the Cheshire cat's dimension, I'll answer your questions sincerely in turn. How about it? Not a bad deal hm?"<p>

They agreed and after a great deal of shameless cake eating on both Evan and Break's side and tight lipped confessions of past experiences and Evan's one sided explanation of how she was only three or four when the tragedy happened so she had little to nothing to give him information wise.

"So when it seemed like the Cheshire cat was going to do you in, you were rescued by Jack. And furthermore before you could rescue Alice and Evan you ended up right in the middle of the infamous tragedy of Sablier." He summarized asking Oz for confirmation. "My, my! You were quite the busy little bee over there!" Break laughed with a wave of his hands. Oz laughed sarcastically as he handed Break his piece of cake.

"The death of Alice and the figure of Vincent Nightray hm…" He was interrupted by Oz's halfhearted plea. "I don't have proof that it really was Vincent so maybe I got it wrong…" he trailed off when Break cut through his cake and poked it's ugly dismembered sugary state. "It was he. Of that I can be certain." Evan watched as he tore the cake apart and clumped it together attempting to make mound of chocolate. "This isn't my fault…the child said that yes? Now I get it…" He began to chuckle mirthlessly. "Hey Break!" Oz said staring at the misbegotten cake. He looked up and glanced at his plate, before he opened his mouth wide and stuffed the plate into his mouth. Evan giggled in amusement. Break pulled the plate out of his mouth and some sort of string with paper attached came out as if a laundry line, and as he chewed he spoke. "It all makes sense now."

"Yeah well, it doesn't make any sense at all to us…" Oz tried, Evan frowned then replied, "I'm beginning to understand; but only beginning."  
>"Ah yes. Okay, go on then ask me anything." Break said uninterested.<p>

"So…why do you want to know what happened a hundred years ago, Break?" Break replied easily with a childish appearance. "I'm not telling you!" He cried gleefully. Evan frowned slightly annoyed.  
>"Liar!" Oz yelled at him.<br>"Ah…I said I'd 'answer you'…not that I'd 'give you a straight answer' so…that's what you'll get from me when I don't want to speak the truth. On the other hand. I won't lie to you either. See I'm dealing you in good faith. Isn't that right Evan?" Break asked, tilting his head like a puppy at her. She shook her head in a disengaging fashion, clearly not interested in the game he was trying to initiate.

"Then…what did he, the Cheshire cat, what did he want to protect?" Oz asked sadly. Break seemed slightly taken aback, but answered anyway.  
>"The Cheshire cat was…a fanatical believer in the intention of the abyss and found Alice and Evan an eyesore because the intention of the abyss hates her so-" Evan interrupted him; "He brought us to his dimension to try to kill us, right?" Evan asked batting her eyelashes pointedly. Break seemed annoyed. "Yes, although he was to afraid to even get near her." Break finished.<p>

"The Cheshire's words…made no sense." Oz said finally, in a small voice.  
>"Oh?"<br>"The Cheshire cat should've wanted to protect the intention of the abyss, but instead, he was protecting its enemy Alice's memories with such care. And he kept calling her name…Alice's name, over and over. As if he was calling out for someone dear to him…yeah…" Oz mumbled off a finish as he stared at his twiddling thumbs.  
>"You really are a cheeky brat." Break said, as he began to laugh. "That's our young master Oz for you, the famous reincarnation of a hero!" Oz looked confused, so Evan explained.<br>"While you were asleep, Pandora was bussing about it you know?" She asked, looking to Break for assistance, which he gladly gave as he picked of the tea and took a sip. "It was all, 'the hero reappeared after a hundred years!'" Break stuck out his tongue at the taste of the cold tea.

"Break; do you believe what Jack said?" Oz asked after a moment. Break sighed and replied; "I didn't witness it, so I can't comment…however doesn't reincarnation sound cheap? They should've called it something fancier." Oz muttered a half hearted reply as he gripped the lining of his pants; "Ha-ha you're right-" He was interrupted by Break.  
>"So…don't concern yourself with what those tasteless idiots say." Break got up from his chair and leaned forward, "You don't need to worry about anything, and you don't need to become anyone else. Now answer me." Here Break poked Oz in the chest, "What is your name?" Looking confused Oz answered; "Oz… I'm Oz Vessalius." Evan smiled at him.<p>

"Look the fog has lifted." She said looking out over the trees.  
>"Yeah." Oz said quietly. Suddenly Break jumped up and balanced a stack of plates on his head as if he were a professional. "Well, it's time to get to work, so let's continue this later!" Evan got up and was beginning to leave when Break stopped her and Oz.<p>

"A word of caution just in case…" Break began as he opened up a box of cubed sugar. "Beware Vincent Nightray." He bit down on the sugar cube with a chomp. "As you already know it is highly likely that he was somehow involved with the events of a hundred years ago. And more than anything else, he's deathly afraid of people finding out about of it." Oz and Evan nodded, and then Oz asked quickly, "Right now he's at Pandora to right?"

"Nope!" Break cried happily. "He returned to the Nightray manor saying he had to meet some friends of some such. Suddenly Break began to shake and he grabbed a sugar cube and stuffed it in his mouth. "He really played my lady and I for fools! I'll kill him one of these days…I'll kill him for sure!" oz attempted and failed to calm him down. Break looked to the side and scoffed. "In any case… 'Friends,' hm, who would be friends with that pervert? I'd give my eye-teeth to get a good look at them." Break announced, Oz nodded and went inside Break was about to follow when Evan stopped him.

"I haven't gotten to ask a question yet." She said maintaining eye contact with him easily. Break seemed slightly surprised, and as he glanced about he smiled kindly and said sweetly, "Well, do ask." Aamir crawled over past them and stood behind a pillar attacking the ants that crawled about.  
>"Why are you interested in me?" She asked him finally after a moment. Break's smile remained on his face before suddenly he chuckled darkly, "The same reason why you lied about not knowing anything about the tragedy." And here he leaned in and placed a finger on her lips to keep her from objecting, "Because, I am an interested party and I want to see how this story play's out." With that he turned and left her shaking his touch off.<p> 


	25. Toxic

"Break…you're not serious, are you?" Evan asked in slight worry at what he had only just said moments ago. Break smirked behind his bangs. "This is secret information only known to the Rainsworths as of now. Don't let it get any further."  
>Evan made an understanding grunt as she tackled with the ribbon that was supposed to wrap around one wrist, and Oz was also having difficulty with an aggravating bowtie of his own. Biting on the ribbon Evan was able to only just able to tie it off sloppily.<br>"So…is Sharon…" Oz trailed pulling his jacket. Break looked up from a rejected shirt that he had attempted to force on Evan who immediately shot him down. "Oh, she's safe you know?" He spotted Oz's bowtie and made a clucking sound before walking over and continuing, "As I exchanged that which I stole from the Cheshire cat…for my lady…" Now that Oz's bowtie was straightened, Oz was reminded about the 'fruits of labor'.

"So what was it that you stole?" Oz asked finally, looking up at Break. Evan sat on the couch, fully prepared to wait for them to finish their conversation (She had waited in the hall for them to change after all), whilst she casually ran her fingers coaxingly through Aamirs' fur, attempting to allow her to brush him, which he dutifully refused.

With an amused expression Break replied simply, "Alice's memories from one hundred years ago." Immediately Oz straightened. Break pulled his hands away from the bowtie, "You witnessed part of it, correct? The tragedy of Sablier and the part the intention of the abyss played into the accident. That was what I had been seeking." Turning from Oz he began to make his way across the room but was cut short when Reim slammed through the doors; successfully landing the door directly into Oz's face. "I finally found you, you bastard!"

Running up to Break grabbing him by the collar Reim began to shake Break back and forth mercilessly; needless to say, Evan was having a hard time breathing between the decision of falling to the floor laughing or gasping in horror at Oz's state.  
>"How could you leave those four with me and run off like that! What happened after you left! What of lady Sharon-"<br>"Ah, quiet down. Quiet down." Break said in a slightly queasy voice before recovering. "I really was planning on giving you a proper explanation later~!" He sang in a horrible attempt to mend the situation.  
>"LIAR! You always say that, and then get all vague!" Reim exclaimed. Finally catching her breath Evan decided to point out the obvious. "That aside gentleman, Oz is dead." She stated pointing blandly at the spot where Oz was holding his head spread flatly on the ground. Reim made a sound like a squeal.<br>"I…I really am so sorry, Oz!" Reim begged apologetically, forehead to the ground on his knees.  
>Oz crouched down next to him, rubbing his forehead.<p>

"No, seriously, that's enough." Oz said kindly, while Break seemed to be overly enjoying the situation, shrugging his arms in a playful way. "He's right you know! If you slam into him five or six more times, he'd get a bit more loveable."  
>"Ah-ha-ha, shut up Break." Suddenly Oz made a funny face, seeming to recognize Reim.<br>"I think he was there when Jack was speaking…" Oz muttered, looking for confirmation.  
>"Yes, I am-" Reim began but was cut off when Break pulled him up holding him tightly. "This fellow is Reim. He's a member of Pandora and my dear friend!" Break said smiling; Reim then promptly pushed him away.<br>"Your friend?" Oz asked, interested.  
>"Yes, we've been together for over ten years now!" Break explained the smiling not once leaving his face.<br>"So Break…you have friends too!" Oz cried happily in a childlike innocence. Break's demeanor changed dramatically, "Why are you smiling so? It ticks me off royally." Suddenly Break threw his arms up and started to walk out the door. Evan got up, plopping Aamir to the ground as she did so and trailed behind Oz.

"Well, alright. I was about to explain things to Oz and Evan anyway so, en route to check on my lady, why don't I fill you all in?" Break asked Opening the door behind him, the group followed him faithfully as he began to recall his experiences.

"_I hope my lady is quite well…Vincent Nightray." Break said threateningly his hand still gripping his sword. Unbeknownst to Break, Vincent smirked with bemusement. "She is…haven't I already said as much? 'It's not like I've killed her or anything'…" Vincent finished as he opened up the door leading to their destination with a creak. Break rushed forward after the initial shock set off. Sharon was breathing labouredly and was sweating, her body shaking violently. _

"_So that we may come to an understanding as quickly as possible…I've set a time limit." Vincent said with no inclination of the fact that he had caused this. He pushed open the balcony doors, showing an equally horrid looking Echo. _

"_See, I have this friend whose hobby is collecting poisons…" He then looked with a smile over at Break. "And since that friend shared a rare sample with me…I thought I would test it on the two of them." Break stared in shock at Echo. "Why, even Echo…?" Asked suddenly confused. Vincent answered by pulling out a small vial and biting down on the cap, mumbling out his answer; "Without being certain of its efficacy…you wouldn't listen to a word I had to say, now would you?" He asked innocently, as he poured some of the liquid into his mouth, he tilted Echo's head toward his own and forced his mouth atop hers, forcing the liquid down her throat. Break looked on, disgusted. Vincent and Echo returned for breath coughing. _

"_Well… now that we've confirmed Sharon's safety…shall we make the deal?" He asked just as Echo leaned against the railing and Vincent stuck the bottle over the edge, holding it precariously between his fingers.  
>"Sure enough…the princess is in her knight's arms, but her life is still in the Nightray's hands..!" Vincent cried neurotically, clearly enjoying this.<br>"Aah, how tragic. Even if the knight waits for aid in the form of Pandora's reinforcements…there is no guarantee that the princess will survive until then. Yes if he turns his sword on Nightray and takes his life, the antidote and the princess will fall to the ground…before the blood begins to spurt!" He finished with a casual dramatic flick of his wrist. "So if it's okay with you, hatter. I sure would like it if you would listen to my request now?" He said, a laugh lacing his words. _

_Break glared at him, before looking surprised. "No one…has to know what happened a hundred years ago… there's no need to know!" Vincent finished scathingly glaring at the ground. Break looked confused as he cradled Sharon's head. _

"_What do you mean by-" Break began before Vincent went on and said; "Hey Hatter. I said I wanted that bell before but, I don't want to make it mine or anything. I want to make it disappear." Vincent smiled innocently. "That bell…Alice's memories, they use the powers of the abyss to take form. So you see you can't destroy it by using ordinary methods. So make it go away. Okay?" Vincent asked seriously as Break's eyes widened with each syllable spoken. "With the mad hatter and its powers of 'chain killing' that negates and terminates all powers related to the abyss… before my very eyes…right now…" Break clenched his hand tightly. "By your own hand- show me that you can destroy the one thing you've been so yearning for, alright?" Break lifted his hand and stared at the bell gently. He ground his teeth tightly and gripped down on bell tightly._

"_No, I will not allow that!" Both Break and Vincent's head's shot up like rockets.  
>"Lady Sharon!" Break asked in bewilderment.<br>"Stop acting like a fool, Break! As you can see…I am perfectly fine!" Sharon said as she placed a hand on the bell. "There is no reason for you to do as that Vincent says! Because, I know how precious those memories are to you!" Here she stopped, attempting to pull her breath in. Break frowned then smiled as he pulled her into an embrace, and like the silly fool he was, he placed a chaste loving peck on her head. He smiled at her look.  
>"It's okay." He said before he allowed the hatter to come forth in a torrent of wind and make the bell crack and fall to dust, Break ignored Sharon's protests.<em>

"_Are you happy now, Vincent Nightray?" Break asked glaring at the sewer rat with such hatred.  
>"Oh yes, thank you hatter." By now Echo had opened her eyes, and her breathing had stabilized. "Now…hurry up and hand me that antidote!" Break cried, pulling from the worsening Sharon. Vincent smiled sickly. "Such a good person…our hatter. You know that's why I like you so very much." He finished as he loosened his grip on the bottle, allowing it to fall from his hand. "You bastard!"<em>

Evan looked up as Break seemed to end as he opened the door allowing them to enter Sharon's room. Tiptoeing over she examined Sharon, and could tell that she would be fine. But she was a bit confused. "Well what happened to the antidote!" Evan and Reim asked in anticipation, as Oz rushed over to Sharon. "Well, she made it through alright…" Reim mumbled as he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Yes." Break said skipping over. "Though I myself thought all was lost for a moment there too…"

_Needless to say heads turned when Echo grabbed the antidote. _

"Eko grabbed it?" Oz asked in surprise. Evan mumbled something along the lines of 'Echo you imbecile.'  
>"Yes. I was surprised too! I thought she was simply a doll…" Break brought his hand to his face, chuckling. "…who followed Vincent's orders faithfully, but…my goodness the look on Vincent's face…I found it so amusing!"<p>

_Pulling his hand up in anger preparing to strike Vincent aimed at Echo, but stopped when she was pulled back by Break. "Dear, oh dear. Vincent…when you glare like that, why…you're the spitting image of your big brother, you know!" Break said mockingly._

_Vincent's hair fell in front of his eyes as he pointed towards the door. "I'm tired of playing. You're done with your business. So hurry up and get out." And so Break did. Along with Sharon of course._

All three looked up at him in horror, while Aamir was currently pulling clothes out of a closet. "So…you just left!"  
>Break pouted, "Well, of course I did! I wanted my lady to rest as soon as possible." He leaned back on a table behind him. "Well…I did think about him once, but…that might've caused more trouble later." Evan smirked appreciatively at the thought, which Break returned with a knowing look. "A prudent decision." Reim answered finally.<p>

As Break flounced on the table kicking his feet up and down cutely he said simply; "Duchess Rainsworth does not intend to make this incident public." Evan looked up at that as did Oz.  
>"But Sharon nearly died!" Evan protested, clearly annoyed.<br>"Ultimately, she returned alive, so all's well that ends well. If possible we should not give the four dukedoms cause to wrangle with each other, and should it come down to our being interrogated thoroughly." Reim coughed awkwardly. "The Rainsworth family isn't completely innocent either." Evan frowned, she hated politics.

"Things seem complicated." Oz said. Evan nodded and replied, "You have no idea." Suddenly a grunt came from the bed; everyone looked up in anticipation, while Break rushed over. "Lady Sharon! Are you all better now?" Sharon looked at him blankly as she sat up. Break attempted to help her up, "Ah! Don't push yourself."  
>"Break…" Sharon said smiling happily, Break returned her smile when an extremely loud 'slap' rang out. "You utter fool!" she cried out. Ironically Break's smile never left his lips. His head lay tilted to the side as Sharon began to shout again.<p>

"How could you say, it's okay!" She yelped, throwing a pillow and hitting him squarely in the face. "This incident occurred because I…" she paused to dump a vase of water on him. "…could not even protect myself when you were not beside me. The fault lies with my own weakness!" Oz and Reim jumped behind the couch in terror while Evan grabbed Aamir and joined them in fear of the projectiles. "Yet you…for my sake…you did such a terrible thing!" Suddenly pulling out from thin air she pulled a Harisen; and began to hit Break with it repeatedly. "Keep your hero complex in check wouldn't you!" She cried finishing her rant shaking with anger. Break started to laugh. He reached and pulled the hair out of his face, revealing his one eye and one closed lid, a twisted smile on his face. "Don't be so conceited…my lady. I did it for you? Hardly. At all times, I am a person who looks out only for himself." Pushing himself up Break continued.

"I rescued you…because I value my life. If anything had happened to you Shelly…your mother, would have killed me." Break said not once removing the smile from his face. Evan smirked slightly; he was such a…clown.

"That…is not fair…I am here because I want to be of use to big brother Xerx! But…" suddenly tears filled her eyes and she fell forward and buried her head into Break's chest, crying. Evan and the party looked up over the couch, and Break, smile still in place, quickly waved them out. They obliged.

"Big brother Xerx?" Evan asked finally once the door was closed.  
>"Ah, she is referring to Xerxes. She used to call him that when she was little." Reim answered. "Of course they are not related by blood but they have been together since, she was little, so she adores him like a big brother." He finished.<br>"Was Break…always like that?" Oz asked his interest piqued.  
>"Oh, no! Not at all! He used to be more anti-social. He would not break into a smile or laugh, no matter what. Yes…that thorny atmosphere of his; seemed to antagonize and reject everything. He seemed just like a wounded beast. But the person who changed that was Shelly. Shelly is Sharon's mother. In all likelihood Shelly's serene personality reformed him. And Xerxes slowly began to open himself up…and now he can smile from his heart."<p>

Evan grasped her head in annoyance, and just when things were getting interesting the idiotic pounding had to return. Reim and Oz looked at her concerned. "Are you alright Evan?" Oz asked worriedly, Evan nodded and replied that it was merely a headache and that she was going to go and see if Raven was awake.

"_My eye, which once upon a time, the intention of the abyss stole away from me. That was my left eye! Before this body can rot away…I've left behind a clue, and one way or another it will be mine…the truth of what happened a hundred years ago!_ Evan lifted her hand to her head, she suddenly felt weighed down and she had a feeling that she wasn't the only one affected by this change in atmosphere. _  
>"Well, well…this should prove amusing, eh?"<em>

Biting down on her lip, Evan suddenly felt at a loss as she stared at the door leading to where she and Oz had left Raven to join Break for some tea, and then they had promptly gone and changed into some clothes and checked on Sharon.  
>Would he feel left out? Evan sighed and pushed open the door to a groggy Raven looking at the spot where Oz <em>had <em>been. He looked up at her and allowed a small smile, before frowning. "Where's Oz?" He asked finally.  
>"Oh, he's with Reim." She jumped over onto the bed next to him and promptly poked him. Suddenly she had a most marvelous idea. "Teach me to shoot a gun."<p>

He stared at her incredulously. "Do you have any prior training?" He asked knowing the answer already. She stared at her feet. "Well…no but-" Raven interrupted her by placing his hand on her head. She blushed suddenly aware that they were alone.

"What-what are you doing?" She whispered suddenly scared of what was happening. Raven seemed to wake up. "Nothing. There was a fluff in your hair; from the bed." He got up and put his hat on and made for the door, Evan stared after him. Suddenly he stopped in the open doorway.

"Meet me in the courtyard, and we'll see how good your aim is."


	26. 6 bullets

I did not enjoy this, in case you are wondering. Oscar had needed our help on something 'urgent' as he had called it, and so there we were, being waved off by Break in a carriage smothered by our newfound school uniforms. Shall I describe to you the events of how I, Raven, Oz and Alice ended up packed tightly into this carriage being smothered to death with details about Oz's sister Ada? It all began with the idiotic _touching…_oh and aiming.

"Now, this one has a 6-shot capacity, charcoal blue finish, steel back strap, brass trigger guard, walnut grip & round 8" barrel*-" Raven began informatively as he handed me the revolver; I held up my hands in a defensive manner. "Stop-stop! I can only input a few words at once!" I smiled at him jokingly taking the gun and investigating the blue tinted barrel, slim yet sturdy grip and I frowned. "Does it kick back?" I asked uncertainly. Raven chuckled and walked over putting the gun in my hand more correctly. Suddenly he got behind me and pressed his front to my back shaping my stance with his, if I recall correctly, I blushed like a tomato and upon further reflection I may even admit that his touch had sent a slight tremor down my spine. He casually, as if he hadn't felt my shiver, which I know he had, put my hand in his and helped me cock the gun, then he pulled away. I bit my cheek to stop the whine of annoyance. Then he pointed toward hand-painted target on a large board of wood and he smirked playfully, "Impress me." He said before backing away behind me with his ears covered.

It kicked, but not as horribly as I had expected, let's just say, I'm a far better melee combatant than I am a ranged sniper. Raven held back a smirk for I hadn't even grazed the target. "Go ahead and finish off the other five bullets." I nodded and this time took a bit more time to aim on each one. On the third bullet I hit the side of the wood and on the fourth only went an inch closer to the center and in my excitement forgot to aim and sent the fifth bullet over the wood into a tree. I wasn't extremely adept at this it seemed. I recall Raven chuckling and walking back over taking the gun from my hand with one hand while keeping the other wrapped around my wrist. He didn't seem to notice it though, and I didn't particularly mind. Absentmindedly as he reloaded I examined the collar on my apprenticed loaned Pandora uniform. After another moment of examining I finally decided; mid condition and clearly a hand-me-down, well loved though, perhaps I could persuade Break to let me keep this, I mean, we are working for Pandora aren't we?

Suddenly Raven handed me the gun, but he didn't let go of it, instead he went back to aligning us up together, and he aimed, cocked, and then leaned down so that his lips were barely above my ear, his breath grazing my flesh. "Ready?" I was far too surprised by the whole situation to notice that his voice was slightly husky, so I reacted as I always did; with humorous stupidity. "Are you?" I asked teasingly, he seemed to tense before he mumbled; "Fire when ready." And I did, oh I did. And, amazingly, I didn't miss.

Then Break interrupted, he came at a gallant jog up to us his arms over his head an amused expression plastered on his face, although I couldn't help but wonder if something was off about him, then I realized it. Forgetting the touch of Raven I waved to Break and called out; "Where's Emily?" He grinned at me and answered, "What a wonderful question! Now then, what's going on here?" He asked his smile still on his face, but I could see his eyes travel to where I was pressed against Raven with him pressed against me; I blushed and pulled away quickly. "Raven was trying to teach me how to use a gun. I'm a horrible student." I said trying to fend off the rising heat of my face. Break frowned slightly before leaning forward and grabbing me by the wrist, "Come along you two! It seems that Oscar needs you to play dress up with him!" I was about to come forward, when suddenly Raven took my hand from Break's and said simply; "Once we're finished with this round of bullet's we'll join you." I seemed confused, but went back to where the gun lay gently in the grass. I didn't notice the silent hatred emitting from both of the men; for I had my back turned….. ….

Break was laughing at the four of them, Alice and Evan had on the girls uniform, Alice's fit her perfectly, while Evan's was a size to large and she had to wear a belt around her wait so that the shirt would billow around like branches on a windy day. Needless to say Oz and Raven looked dashing, Oz was seemingly enjoying his white suited tail coat, while Raven looked uncomfortable, but Evan had to admit, he did look good. "My, don't you four look fine!" Oscar squealed pulling Alice to him; Evan evaded his grasp and pushed into the carriage, dragging along a very reluctant Raven with her. Finally Oz questioned their ridiculous attire as Break waved them off, with a strange glint when he watched Evan get in that made Evan blush out of embarrassment…it wasn't as if she disliked the glance per say…

"What is this…a school uniform?" Raven nodded in agreement, "What is going on Oscar, you making us change so suddenly… where are you carrying us off to?" Raven demanded in annoyance as he slammed the carriage door getting in the seat between me and Oscar. "Now Gilbert, don't go raising your voice." Suddenly Oscar became serious. "This is a mission, an important mission that we can only accomplish ourselves!" The carriage began to rattle forward and Raven grasped Evan at the sudden jolt. When she looked at him questioningly, he claimed that he hadn't wanted her to fall forward and land on her face. Suddenly Oscar pulled out a letter.

"The other day, this arrived from Lutwidge academy!" Evan and Alice looked slightly confused, and then Oz explained; "It's one of the top three schools in the country. The student body consists of children of Aristocrats aged thirteen to eighteen. I always had a tutor, so I didn't attend, but it's an institution that turns out a lot of this nation's big shots." Oscar nodded.  
>"Indeed. And right now…our Ada is attending that academy!"<p>

Evan sighed, she hated to be behind on information, "Excuse me, but who?" She asked slightly annoyed. Raven poked her in the side, and whispered; "Oz's younger sister." Evan nodded and turned back toward Oscar, absentmindedly rubbing the spot where she had been poked. She listened and nodded as Oscar went on with his story about how Ada had 'fallen in love', or something equally irritating. Well love in itself wasn't irritating, no; the fact that Evan had to be pulled out of target practice, dress up in some uniform and pretend that she understood Oscar's emotions was irritating. Evan didn't actually mind love.  
>"So, that's how it is!" Oscar finished dramatically, when no one commented he cried; "Well! It's an emergency isn't it!" suddenly Oz looked tired while Raven was clenching his teeth. "The reason we were forced to dress like this…!"<br>"Why of course! In order to confirm the truth of this letter with Ada- we're going! To sneak into the academy ourselves!" Evan stared out the window where they were currently on the outer edge of the school yard. Evan mumbled something in a foreign language.  
>"What was that?" Raven asked, rubbing his temples. Evan repeated herself.<br>"Tá sé seo cac, cén fáth go bhfuil muid anseo nuair a Raven agus beidh mé ag breathnú níos sine ná gach duine eile...Oscar bhfuil a bheith ina pervert..." Raven looked at her annoyed.  
>"Yes but what does it mean?"<br>"You don't want to know, you'll just get angry with me." Evan said innocently. Raven sighed as he exited the carriage. Evan followed as a grin grew on her lips, if only Aamir were here, he would have enjoyed the chaos that surrounded them at every corner as the situation was growing more and more _idiotic._

**Author's note: Hello…I had recently been up to the shooting range, and I decided that Evan and Raven needed a…moment. The gun I based it off of is a Taylor 1860 Army 44. Cal. Also if you really want to know what she said just go on Google translate…I won't tell you what language though** **;3. (It wasn't anything bad, just insulting…)**


	27. Cats

After Oscar had lead them through a secret passage, scared some school girls and caused them all to think that the party were intruders, everyone promptly ran.  
>"Darn!" Raven gasped, breathing hard. Evan nodded. "We've been separated from Oz and Alice." She said it as if this was nothing out of the ordinary, and as her breathing began to regulate she couldn't help but glare along with Raven at the laughing Oscar. "Well this place is pretty complicated!"<p>

Suddenly Oscar pulled out a hand rolled cigarette and he brought it to his lips and began to attempt to light it. "…Well, even if they're captured, they won't be killed, and on the other hand; Oz can find a way to enjoy this sort of situation." Oscar smiled. "I do hope he enjoys this, even just a little." Evan nodded before she held her head in annoyance. Instantly Raven was next to her, muttering something that she couldn't understand, so she just nodded and was only vaguely surprised when Raven placed his hand on her head. The rush was instant.

"_Honestly, I wanted to keep them a secret from Pandora and have them all to myself!" Break moaned as he rolled his shoulders. He looked up through his bangs; "Well, the part that's really rough on Oz isn't so much the being grilled. But the reactions of the people around him. Do you know what he said! 'I don't mind. Because what those people are looking at…isn't me-' isn't that just conceited? I say! That brat isn't cute in the slightest! And what annoys me even more; is that his valet seems to be completely oblivious to his master's mental state… and then there's Evan-"_

She pulled away from Raven in surprise; he merely looked at her strangely. "I asked if you were alright, and when you didn't respond I just wanted to see if-" Evan interrupted him, her eyes glued to his hand. "Does that hand have the seal of the Raven on it?" She questioned quietly so as not to be overheard. Raven didn't reply, but instead turned to Oscar who had begun to get up. "So about Oz…he doesn't ask anything huh?"

Raven and Evan looked up a bit surprised. Oscar elaborated; "About what went on these past ten years." Raven looked at the ground. "That's…true…" Oscar ran his hand through the volumes of books that lined the wall of the library they were currently resting in.  
>"Here we've come to see Ada and yet he didn't even ask about her growing up. Even the change in your attitude toward Oz…an ordinary guy would be shocked and start asking questions wouldn't he?" Raven jumped back in embarrassment. "Th-that's!" Oscar chuckled, sending the smoke swirling upwards. "Ah, I know. You've got your reasons, right?" Suddenly Oscar flipped to a page in the book he had and pulled the cigarette out of his mouth. "'The reality that exists now is the be-all and end-all.' 'I don't need to know how that reality came to be.'" Evan looked down slightly. "If that's what he means by 'acceptance' it does sound reasonable. But man…to me, it's just so sad, don't you think?" Evan looked up and whispered to both Raven and Oscar; "People's feelings and their abilities…" She trailed off looking to Oscar for assistance.<p>

"If he keeps going on like this, storing them up in that little body…one day he's going to be crushed by the weight of it all." Oscar finished, causing Raven to stare at him in surprise and then he looked down. "That can't be." Evan grinned at his gloomy attitude. But suddenly looked up when she heard the soft padding of feet. And as Raven looked up, a white cat with a red ribbon pounced on his face. Theoretically Evan would've laughed, but she was too busy look at the girl that was currently accusing them of being unable to escape.

"You cannot escape from that snow-drop's nose…" She trailed off when Oscar pulled out his cigarette; "Yo. Miss disciplinary committee!" and just as that happened Raven scrambled in a frenzy of terror attempting to get the cat off, before he flopped to the ground.

"Uncle!" she cried in surprise. Evan stepping over Raven who had finally prodded the snow-drop of a cat off of his apparently tobacco smelling body. She walked over and held a hand out, her years of training with her father resurfacing. "Ah, then you are Ada Vessalius? It is a pleasant surprise." When Ada took her hand somewhat nervously. Suddenly Ada rushed over to Oscar. "W-why are you here? And…who is she?" Ada asked suddenly skeptical of Evan and her uncle. Raven flinched when a cat attempted to sniff him.

Oscar rubbed his head, "That is Evangeline Blantern…and we've come to reunite you with your brother!" Evan glared at Oscar for using her full name in extension. "Oz is here? No way…my heart's not ready for it!" Evan held back a snort. Oscar sighed, "What do you mean? I explained all about Oz in my last letter." He said as if that would calm the anxious girl down. "Y-yes, you did but…!" Ada pulled at her hair and seemed to fold in on herself. "…I mean, a whole decade's passed since then, right? I probably don't look anything like the way I used to…so…so if he says 'this isn't Ada' If he doesn't acknowledge me…" Evan looked down when she felt a brush of fur pass her. Raven walked up; "Ada…Oz allowed someone as unworthy as me to become his Valet once more. 'What's different about you?' he said that. So right now…please try to be honest with yourself about wanting to see Oz."

Evan nodded toward the feeble girl before turning toward the door where the cat was currently exiting; "The cats are leaving without us." Evan stated before following them, she stopped and turned to look at the group, "Well?" She questioned. When Raven hesitated she sighed and grabbed his wrist pulling him along after the cats. …..

Evan chuckled at the sight of Oz bowing in apology to Alice; she also chuckled at Raven who was angry with Alice for making Oz bow to her. Where was Aamir when a sarcastic comment was needed?  
>"Oz!" Evan and Oscar cried in synchronized surprise. Suddenly Evan turned to where Ada stood hesitantly in the doorway. "Ada!" she cried clearly translating to; come on, your objective is directly in front of you.<p>

The siblings stared at each other, their eyes widening at the sight of each in their bodies, no longer figments of dreams. "Big…brother?" Ada whispered in disbelief. "Um…long time no see?" Oz mumbled, embarrassed in his ignorance. Evan smiled and joined Oscar and Raven in their small mantra of support for the two. "Wh-what a surprise…You really look exactly like I remember you…"  
>"Ah…yeah." Oz smiled sheepishly. "So Ada remembers me, hmm?"<p>

"I-I remember you! The you in my memories…was v-very big and kind!" suddenly Ada blushed. "And more handsome than everyone else!" Evan felt Raven turn and try to calm Oscar down.

Oz blushed and smiled cheekily. "Of course, memories are the glorified version…now I'm so short…" Ada looked to the side and closed her eyes, taking a step forward. "True…but I, much prefer this big brother…the way you are now. Even if you are shorter than I remember…I can be by your side…and touch you…and talk to you… I can be…with you!" abruptly she brought her hands to her face and began to cry. "I missed you…I missed you so much, Oz!" she cried running to him and burying her face in his collar. Evan chuckled when she and Raven were pulled over in a 'good job guys' embrace by Oscar. She noticed Raven's smile, and it only made hers larger.

"Aaaaaah!" Alice cried jumping between the two siblings. "A-Alice!" Evan and Oz cried in horror.  
>"Hey little girl! Cut it out! He belongs to me. He's my slave! Stop sticking to him like glue!" Evan would have protested, but she noticed Alice's cheeks painted red with blush, and she grinned stepping back. Raven ran up and attempted to pull Oz away from Alice arguing with her the whole time, while Ada stood by Oscar looking dejected. "Takes me back to when I was young!" Oscar sighed feigning dramatization. Suddenly he grabbed Raven and Alice and pulled them away from each other. And he told them, voice malicious; "You two haven't forgotten why we're here, have you?"<p>

Evan grinning said completely to herself; "Aren't family reunion's just the best?"


	28. Consistancy

**Evan POV**

An uncomfortable churning in my stomach awoke me to Ada's blush…and Raven's wide eyes, and all this in reply to the _letter._ The knot in my stomach tightened almost unbearably and I felt a hatred burn from my eyes to the innocent girl. I shook off some of the hatred…but not all of it.

Oz and Oscar jumped up and glowered dangerously at Raven, and I'll admit…I grinned at their antics. "You lily livered bastard! Your death won't be easy!" Oz cried lunging forward along with Oscar. Raven cried out and dashed away in terror.  
>"Ah…no that's not it! Right now, I…um…" Ada called pointlessly after them. I slouched a bit gloomily. "Wonderful, a love struck teenager, protective family members and a chain being left behind." I looked pointedly at Alice who was currently attempting to call them back.<br>"Well let's go!" I cried feigning excitement. I barely missed it…but I heard it certainly, Ada…had said something: "Not Gilbert."

"Well…we lost them." I stated casually. Raven nodded and Alice muttered something about being hungry. Raven looked out across the hall, left and right.  
>"All clear! We'll meet back up with Oz and Oscar as soon as possible and go home." Raven proclaimed then he wrapped his arms around himself. "And then someone get me out of these clothes quick!" He cried.<br>My head went to the gutter. I grinned lewdly at him, much like Break had done many times to me. "Oh really? Well I'd be more tha-" Raven interrupted me desperately, and I could've sworn I saw a blush grace his cheeks. "Let's go you stupid rabbit!"

Ignoring him Alice's head shot to the side. Both I and Raven suddenly seemed confused. "Something wrong?"  
>"This feeling…why are they here!" Alice whispered.<br>I recall jumping up and looking around rapidly before calming back down and sitting back down to ask Alice what she meant. Although, I knew exactly what she meant.

**Oz POV**

"Do you like this series?" He asked with a slight hint of curiosity. He was also wearing a school uniform and looked to be a bit older than me.  
>"Eh…yeah…I love it…" I trailed off, unsure on how to continue the conversation.<br>"Do you? So what are your feelings on the holy knight's valet?" The boy questioned seriously. I jumped at this, for I knew quite a lot about this subject. "You mean Edgar! Eh…well I totally love him!" I beamed in delight. "'To put others before oneself.' He's a fine man who's not afraid of getting hurt while protecting others! Gosh, I mean I completely understand why the readers would love him. He's my favorite-"  
>"Tch."<p>

'_Tch?'_ I stared at him in sudden shock. He looked straight forward his glare icy. "Hate to tell you…but I utterly despise that piece of shit known as Edgar…!"  
>I didn't move in fear of setting him off. It turns out I needn't have worried.<p>

"He talks so self righteously, it pisses me off. Self sacrifice makes me want to puke. Why the hell's a guy like him so popular? I mean, it's obnoxious that even in the story, the other characters love him so blindly!" He ranted angrily. I squeaked in surprised horror.  
>"Hey…how could you! And after I told you I liked him!" He looked on blankly, disinterested.<br>"This is how I feel, so I can't help it."

My annoyance rose.

"Most of all I can't stomach his final moments. He laid down his life to protect his master…and went and died alone while praying for the happiness of those dear to him…just what part of a guy like that's so great-!"

I practically screamed. I am sure there was pure mortification on my face. "Edgar…dies?" I whisper in horror.  
>"He did…right? Around the middle of volume sixteen I think it was…"<br>"Ah! That's such a spoiler-!" I yelped as I grabbed his shoulders shaking him in anger.  
>"Huh? Not my problem! Any real fan would've read it already!" He retorted equally angry.<br>"Shut your trap! I got ten years of catching up to do, darn it!" I let go of him and fell to my knees dramatically. "All the motivation I had to read it is gone! Gone, just like that-!" suddenly I glared at him. "Anyway, the point is that protecting his master to the death is wonderful. It's just like Edgar." 

The boy scoffed. "All that amounts to is satisfying his own ego, you idiot!"

_This guy…really pisses me off!_

"Would you mind keeping it down a little?" A voice asked from behind the pillar near us.  
>"Leo!" The boy I was arguing with cried.<br>"Josephine is in trouble right now…I never thought Jackie would be the culprit…what a surprise." He flitted through the page, his round glasses glinting slightly. "Besides…I'd say Elliot was at stake just then." The boy; (Elliot) raged. "Huh? What did I do-""You asked someone for his opinion…but tried to force your opinions on him when you didn't like what you heard." Leo shifted his book into a more comfortable position. "Am I correct?"  
>"NO…you are…but…!"<br>"Oh? Then I think you owe him an apology. Properly; like a man." Elliot seemed extremely uncomfortable and I felt like I was being pushed toward a girl I liked. I was also extremely uncomfortable.

"Sorry…_Shorty._"

_I'll kill him._

"In any case: Leo, whose side are you on! If you're my valet, you should side with me, your master, Right! Isn't that just common sense?" Leo yawned and clamped his book shut.  
>"Correcting his master's words and actions is also part and parcel of a valet's duty. But…I see now. What you seek is a convenient yes-man for a valet." Leo stood up book in hand and began to trot away. "I wanted to get along with you, but…too bad."<br>Elliot seemed to panic as he scurried after him. "Wait, wait, wait! I didn't say anything of the sort!" Elliot turned back toward me, "You! Give me your I.D. number and homeroom teacher. We'll definitely settle this later!"

"It's no use Elliot. He's one of the intruders people were making a fuss about just before." Leo didn't even stop walking. Elliot suddenly got a malicious look in his eye as he turned toward me; fists raised. "Leo, why didn't you tell me right away!"  
>"Eh…he seemed completely harmless…"<br>"That's not the problem!"

_Ah…what a pain this is turning out to be…_

"Wait Elliot!"

_Ada…_

"Oh miss Vessalius? You've got it all wrong…he's-" Leo began before he was cut off by Elliot kicking the table with a great deal of hostility. "I do believe I told you once before, Ada Vessalius. Stop saying my name like we're friends!"  
>Leo sighed reaching toward Elliot. "Elliot, that's no way to talk to an upperclassman."<br>"Shut up. You hold your tongue."

I remember staring in a confused terror as bile rose to my throat. "And what was that? You know this intruder? And that one time, it was your uncle who caused trouble too. Hah! Leave it to the descendants of Vessalius who can go around doing whatever they please. It's enough to make anyone jealous!" Elliot cried.

I don't recall how I got the idea…but…well, I have my moments.  
>"Wow…this is pretty neat!" I sang as I played with Elliot's bag.<br>"My…bag!"  
>"Ha-ha. If you want this back…try to catch up with my godly talent for running away, you spoileriffic creep!" I cried happily as I jogged away missing the insults that were hurdled at me.<br>_Darn. If I'm here I'll hurt Ada…I don't want to inconvenience people._

I stopped and looked back suddenly feeling something…strange. Something was off.  
>"Who's there!" I cried eyes wide.<br>"It's Ada!" Ada said smiling as she appeared around the corner.  
>"Brother…please don't think ill of Elliot, okay?" I looked up to see my sister standing awkwardly. "He hates me, so there's no helping that, but…he's actually very nice and dependable, you know?"<br>I grunted.  
>"So um…the bag?" Ada asked looking pointedly at Elliot's bag.<br>"Yeah…don't worry I was going to give it back."  
>"Oh then I'll hand it to him…" I smiled slightly, but shook my head.<br>"Nope! This is something you got to do in person!" She seemed slightly put out. "But man this academy sure is huge!" I stated as I glanced around. "Here, give me your hand so we don't get separated-"

_IDIOT! What am I doing! This isn't ten years ago! I can't say that to my little sister who's older than me now!_ "Ah…um. Sorry…I just happened to out of habit. Imagine my surprise when she gripped my hand anyway. "Thanks…brother…So, did you find out about it?" She asked as we walked along.  
>"Eh? About what?"<br>"What do you mean, what? Weren't you going to ask them about the piano piece?"  
>I froze in embarrassment, before shaking my head at my stupidity. "Ah, you're right! I completely forgot about it! Thanks, Ada! If I run into them later, I'll make sure to-" I stopped when Ada feel forward landing on her side, apparently out cold.<br>"A…?"  
>"Aah, you mustn't my boy." A sultry voice murmured. I felt a hand wrap around me. "Forget about a child like her…what say you come and have a little fun with this big girl?"<p> 

**Gilbert POV (In the library)**

"What are you looking at?" I questioned Evan, who jumped at my voice. She looked up from the book she had been reading. She seemed dazed.  
>"I-I was…" She trailed off seemingly distracted. Slightly peeved I pulled the book out of her grasp, much to her annoyance. I had to admit, the noise she made was extremely…<em>cute.<em>

"_Nobility: Rise and fall of prominent families." _I looked at the page she had been at before I interrupted her reading. It was the beginning of what looked like a ten page biography. Eyeing the title I murmured it with a daunting understanding. _"Blantern, demise and rise."_ Evan stared at her feet. I pulled a chair out and sat on it, slowly flipping through the pages. From the skim and scam that I had done I could see that there were many speculations on how the family had exactly…ended.

One idea was similar to Break's statement that the serf's and servants had rioted under the rain of Evan's brother. Another made me want to shoot someone. The theory was that when Evan had run away at the age of thirteen, she had sold her body for money, and through that had ended up conceiving. When found by her father, she was immediately shut away, and when her child was born, it was sent to a servant to be 'taken care of.' And by that eventually someone found out and blackmailed the family to bankrupt. I knew this wasn't the case, and it annoyed me that they would just say that blatantly in a book. There were also some scraps of diary entries and journals, I would have read them… but I didn't want to invade Evan's privacy.

Evan eyed me curiously. She spotted the paragraphs I had been reading and sighed, "In case you're wondering the second statement is utterly and entirely wrong."  
>I blushed, "I didn't think it was true." Evan smirked slightly. "Oh you can read those if you want. But if you do, read them out loud, so that I can hear them to…" She trailed off, indicating the entries of diaries. I nodded before choosing one at random.<p>

Before reading it I noted the way the paper was glued somehow into the book, clearly an original, how the paper was crumpled and scribbled along on the sides. I breathed in and began. I'll admit, the entry started off…interestingly.

"_It's all very well and good to know that something's cursed, but you still have to work out what on the world to do about it. My father has taught me that when all the clues fail to lead to a solid conclusion, there is research. Piles and piles of it. Of course, father had only the vaguest idea what I'd spend my time studying, but the fact of the matter was, research was my only defense._

_When I was very young and first began to visit the estate, it terrified me, even though I was too young to understand why. Now of course, I knew it was all the horrible things that had happened there, and all the horrid things that had and did lurk in these halls. But all I knew was that if my parents learned of my fear, they wouldn't let me come home. Then I would never get to eat. So I vowed to keep my fears to myself. For years my parents thought I had a permanent chill, so badly did I shiver whenever I was near the estate. I still don't know why nothing had harmed me. Although we did go through an astonishing number of junior slaves and cooks…most of them either had unfortunate accidents of took extremely ill. One or two of them appeared to have lost their minds completely."_

Here the writing became a bit more of a scribble and it was hard to read, I glanced at Evan and saw that her eyes were glaring at the wall ahead of her. She was sitting on the table, and I couldn't help but notice how her skirt rode up just a bit along her legs…

"_Of course I understood none of this until I became old enough to read. Then I began researching everything we had in the estate, hoping that the knowledge would replace my fear. It wasn't until I discovered the old, nearly forgotten volumes on ancient prisons and secrets killed over that I began to understand. Once I read those I knew exactly what I was dealing with, and it wasn't reassuring." _I stared incredulously at the page. It was torn, just after the word reassuring. As if something was written on the next pages that someone didn't want seen.

Evan surprised me by leaning over the book, she seemingly oblivious to the way her shirt opened just a bit…  
>"Keep reading."<br>"What? But it ends…" I trailed clearly confused, yet slightly annoyed when she sat back up, and removing the view.  
>"Next entry…should be on the next page I believe." I looked down at the book and flipped the page over, and sure enough there was another entry.<p>

"_It will be the death of me, they say. Why is it that parents only notice you long enough to scold? If you do something right, say bring them lunch or help them with a puzzle, they act as if you're invisible. But let one silly mistake slip by, like a forgotten hat, and they read you the riot act. I hadn't meant to 'interrupt'…but they had been saying so many things that I wanted to know. They were talking about the Tragedy again…My father told me about it when I was younger…he said I was three when it happened…it's been twelve years…I've run, I've hid and I've been found and yet he still refuses to tell me the entirety of the tale. But that's fine…I have my books, and I have my theory's…I'll find out, regardless of how many times he covers my eyes. _

_On a different note…the Baskerville's are prodding my father for support in some sort of…'test'. I just know I'll become a part of it. I have to end it here…I'm running out of paper and time…I have a feeling I won't be able to write much more._

_E.H.B. fifteen years old."_

I stared at the page in bewilderment. I was about to ask something when I heard a sniffle. Looking up I saw Evan with her head down, tears dripping to the ground. "I hated him so much…so much that I began to hate myself. I remember writing those…" She whispered. Another tear fell from her cheek to the ground. I bit my lip before coming to a decision. I slammed the book shut, causing Evan to jump. I walked over to her and without asking permission, wrapped my arms around her. I was uncomfortable, and it was clear that she was as well. But I wasn't letting go until I was sure that she would stop the incessant crying. To both of our surprise, she returned the hug. Her breathing returned to normal, and she seemed slightly content. I noted how her body fit almost perfectly against mine. I sighed and allowed myself to take in her scent, of grass and honey.

Evan pulled back and looked me in the eyes. I noted her blush with pleasure. Suddenly she leaned forward and pecked me gently on the cheek. Red flared my vision as my cheeks heated up.  
>"Thanks…Gil."<p> 


	29. Dimension

"I didn't draw my sword in order to die!" Elliot cried in anger. The man with a tattoo on his face smirked and seemed to tense. "Then here I come! Bring it!" Here he lunged at Elliot, who in turn ran at him. Suddenly Oz was jumped upon. "I told you! I have something to discuss with you!"

Oz glowered as the woman rubbed herself against him. "Well! What do you want to ask me!"  
>She smirked evilly as she placed her fingers on her lips. "The truth about the tragedy of Sablier!"<p>

(…line break…)

"I told you not to get involved…idiot." Oz mumbled under his breath, although he regretted his actions almost instantly as Elliot turned around. "You're such a… No one's doing anything for you. So stop thinking so highly of yourself, you runt!" Oz stared at him incredulously, "Shut up! And we're about the same height anyway, stupid!"

Leo got up and walked over to them, successfully flicking them both. "No fighting." He stated in a bored tone. Elliot scoffed. "Are you…always like that?" He asked. When Oz seemed confused, he turned and started to walk away. "Do you always make that 'I don't give a damn about myself' face?"

"I don't."  
>"You do."<br>"I said I don't!"  
>"I'm telling you that you do!"<p>

Leo walked past them, causing Elliot to start walking again. "You look calm even after that. We rescued you, yet you tell us not to get involved!" Elliot asked in annoyance.

"Because…it's really none of your business, right? Whether I get kidnapped or killed…" Oz finished, faltering slightly.  
>Elliot paused before he turned and slammed Oz into the wall. "How many people have been hurt by your actions, you suicidal idiot!" He demanded. Oz glared at him.<br>"Stop it, don't go acting like I have a death wish."  
>"But you do! Don't you!" He cried, his grip tightening on Oz's uniform. "When you sacrifice yourself…do you really believe you've saved someone? You're only trying to protect your own feelings! Just to satisfy your own ego! You don't know how much those left behind are hurt…yet you dare…say hurting other is too heavy a burden! You can afford to say something soft like that because you're pushing that onto other people! The people who care, the people who try to protect you…they're the ones shouldering your burden, so they don't lose you, because you don't even try to protect yourself." Elliot whispered.<p>

"Enough…let me go-"  
>"I'm not finished!" Elliot yelled slamming Oz back into the wall. "Listen you're not going to be able to protect anyone like this. If you treat your own life lightly, you don't deserve to protect anybody else's life! You've given up. You go around pretending you're some tragic hero." Oz clenched his fists. "Are you going to keep living your life…hurting yourself and the people around you!" Elliot demanded.<p>

"SHUT UP!" Oz screeched slapping Elliot away. He began panting. "You…don't know anything! But you suddenly barge in and say…whatever…what do you know about me! Yeah fine! I'm stupid! I'm lower than dirt! I'm a powerless fool who tries to help people to satisfy my own ego! So what's so bad about that! I was denied. I wasn't wanted. So the least I can do…is not inconvenience anybody…so the only one who gets hurt is me! No one will be hurt, even if I die."

"That's just your ego." Elliot said with absolutely no passion.

"I don't deserve the same rights as everyone else…so I…" He faltered and seemed to come to a realization. Pulling his hands away from his face he looked at Elliot. Sudden illumination coming forth.

Elliot smiled, "That so?" Oz looked down. "Good! Well that settles things for now!"

(…line break…)

**Jack POV**

Everything is made up of dimensions. Those written on paper are of the second, those that walk and buy food from markets are of the third. And time, time is of the forth. I am absorbed completely by the forth as I sit in my haven watching the world pass me by far faster than anything in my world. He's calling, but, should I answer? It is his right but I have no interest in fighting…not now. I'll allow him to suffer a moment longer.

He's being thrown around…the body that I inhabit…the body that I taint with every step. My soul is mingled with his and only now does it begin to darken. I pull him back into his own consciousness. Melancholy laves my words.

"What a way to summon me Oz. Now, I'll deal with them…so you concentrate on rescuing your comrades. It's alright; do not be afraid…as you have the right to do this!"

Oz is gone, and in his place…I stand, the power of the two of us combined at my disposal.

Lottie is smiling and laughing, and I know she knows. "You're here! Jack Vessalius!" I smile gently.  
>"It has been a while…Baskervilles!"<p>

**I'm lazy…and losing interest…**


End file.
